CAMPAIGNERS hoping to set up a new free school in Litherland had their dreams dashed after their preferred site for the project was ruled out.
Members of The Hawthornes Free School Trust said they were “disappointed” when news filtered through that trustees of the Archdiocese of Liverpool, who own the St Wilfrid’s building, in Litherland, were “unable” to agree to the approach.
The Archdiocese said it cannot facilitate any measure which would be in “conflict either directly or indirectly with its own charitable objectives”.
Rev Ricky Panter, a trustee of the Hawthornes project, who said he was saddened, added: “We are very disappointed, but we will continue with our free school proposal. We will now continue to secure a good site for the free school.”
St George of England school, in Bootle, which is owned by Sefton Council, is now the “favourite” to be the site of the new free school.
St Wilfrid’s interim headteacher, Stewart Almond, said: “We had two sites in the frame, with St George of England being the other one. We will now assess what we will do about this at a meeting on Thursday. The decision is not good. It’s a shame because it would have provided community benefits.”
An Archdiocese of Liverpool statement outlined its trustees considered a request to make the site available.
However, as The Hawthornes will welcome all denominations, it could dilute the need for existing schools providing a Catholic education locally, which they are obliged to support: “As a charitable trust, the Archdiocese has to weigh up its obligations under charity, as well as civil and canon law. It is the strategic body charged with commissioning sufficient school places to meet the needs of Catholic pupils who want an authentic Catholic education for their children. As such, and with its clear obligations under charity law, it cannot facilitate any measure which would be in conflict with its own charitable objectives. The Archdiocese provides a viable network of schools and therefore may not support any proposal which might pose a risk to that viability. Sefton Council, with Archdiocesan support, is closing St Wilfrid’s School this summer in order to secure a better match between pupil numbers and school places.
“The Archdiocese has sufficient quality high school places to meet the needs of the local Catholic community; to support a proposal to locate further pupil places in a vacated St Wilfrid’s would constitute an abrogation of Archdiocesan legal responsibilities.”
If you are a parent and would like to make a comment on the issue, please contact Mark Johnson by email at: mark.johnson@liverpool.com
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