Science Village replacing three schools 'Would be a world first'
13/03/2008
A SCIENCE village bringing together teaching, research and industry is being planned for the region, The Northern Echo can reveal.The Framwellgate CAMPUSc, which could cost up to [pounds]60m, is the idea of three Durham headteachers whose schools would be brought together on the site, which is presently home to Framwellgate School Durham and Framwellgate Moor primary school.It will offer teaching for children aged between two and 18, science research facilities supported by Durham University, spaces for exhibitions and activities aimed at developing public understanding of science and "incubator units" to accommodate small-scale technology businesses.
The campus will also incorporate the North- East science learning centre - the only one in the country linked to a school, and could offer childcare for preschool children.Early plans for the project are revealed in Durham County Council papers made public today ahead of a meeting of the council's cabinet, which will debate the scheme next week.Councillor Claire Vasey, the council's cabinet member for children and young people's services, said: "This is a project which potentially has national significance. It demonstrates not only our innovative approach, but also our commitment to science and technology-led regeneration."The campuses will replace the two Framwellgate schools and Durham Trinity special school.All three schools use ageing buildings. By bringing them together, it is hoped each will retain its identity, while having access to a greater pool of expertise.
The campus project has been in development for two years. It will bring together about 1,500 pupils and could be open by September 2012.Framwellgate School Durham headteacher Joan Sjovoll said:"This is an extremely special project. It will have an international profile."Framwellgate Moor primary school headteacher Diane Buckley said: "This is the chance of a lifetime - to be at the forefront of developing something which is going to be recognised not just locally or nationally, but globally."Durham Trinity school, which is divided between three sites, has 182 pupils aged two to 19 who come from across County Durham.Headteacher Julie Connolly said: "We will have the best of all worlds. We will still have the special provision we need, but in 21st Century buildings."We will also be part of a bigger community, and will be more accessible for parents."The teachers hope the campus itself will be a scientific project, gathering data for analysis in school.Some funding is expected to come from the Government's Building Schools for the Future and Capital Primary Strategy programmes.
However, private sponsorship is being sought, with Northumbrian Water and the Wellcome Trust seen as potential supporters.David Ford, Durham County Council's head of achievement services, said: "The landscape of education in County Durham is going to change fundamentally over the next 15 years."In that local and national agenda, this will be a real beacon project. People will want to come and see it."Durham MP Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods and George Burlison, county councillor for Framwellgate Moor and a governor at Framwellgate School Durham, also welcomed the proposals.Durham County Council's cabinet are to be asked to give the goahead for investigations into the possibility of creating the Framwellgate CAMPUSc at a meeting to be held next Thursday.
Parents who have children at the three schools, either now or from September, are invited to attend meetings where the project will be discussed, to be held on Wednesday, April 2.Professor Chris Higgins, vicechancellor of Durham University, said: "The vision for the Framwellgate Science Learning Campus of combining inspirational teaching with state-of-theart facilities to create an internationally-leading learning environment is highly imaginative."It chimes precisely with the mission of Durham University to bring world-class teaching and research into the community."The meetings will be held at Trinity's Flambard site at 10.30am, the primary school at 1.15pm and Framwellgate School Durham at 7pm.AN EDUCATION village was opened in Darlington in April 2006, bringing together Beaumont Hill Technology College, Springfield Primary School and Haughton Community School.It combines nursery, primary, secondary and special school teaching, catering for 1,400 youngsters aged between two and 19.The [pounds]37m village builds on Beaumont Hill's technology specialism and Haughton's arts college status. Four years in the making, the village was opened by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who said it was a remarkable and innovative project.
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