The latest Ofsted North West report shows that Oldham Schools have the lowest levels of good or outstanding leadership in the North West and that Oldham has the 4th lowest percentage of pupils attending good or outstanding Secondary Schools in all of England’s 150 local authority areas.
The question needs to be asked how Oldham school services will cope with the massive planned house building and population expansion program such as 500 new homes to be built at Broadway Green when children are already crowded into a poorly run local education system. Three key problems in Oldham are major contributors to the local education systems problems (1) The Governments opt-out academy system is poorly designed, divisive & open to both spending abnormalities (see item further down this page) & manipulation by those with an agenda other than secular fact based education. (2) Immigration levels from Eastern Europe & other developing nations to Oldham puts unfair burden on schools to deliver results for children from other Countries many of whom have no formal education & do not speak English. (3) Introverted communities (not just the religious ones) which are maintained, preserved & expanded by purposeful local government policy. Take Coldhurst & St Mary’s for example (these are Oldham Councils findings) “School readiness: children start at a lower level at school which matches foundation stage evidence. School outcomes will be poorer in these wards, leading to poorer employment outcomes, Low qualifications and in some areas low engagement in lifelong learning. High numbers of benefit claimants, More translation costs, Greater demand on primary and secondary health care and social care, Greater demand on police”