Dear Editor,
I attended all 3 sections of the Council School—Infants; Juniors; Seniors. As I was living away from Shildon I was unaware of reason for the demolition of the Junior/Senior 2 story building especially as the building at Timothy Hackworth; built around the same time; is still functioning today!
Secondary school provision was thus focused on a newly developed Sunnydale School.
This school was conceived in the early 1960’s and opened in 1966.
The buildings for Sunnydale were of the CLASP type [Consortium of Local Authority Special Programme].
These buildings were hastily assembled and typified by the following: low cost using light prefabricated steel frames with a prolific use of Asbestos in heat insulation; floor coverings; ceiling tiles and wall panels.
Hence the satirical acronym: Collection of Loosely Assembled Steel Parts!
A CLASP constructed building was expected to be functional for about 60 years but it became evident that the building was in need of major maintenance in the 2000’s.
In 2009, Ed Balls [Secretary of State for Children; Families and Schools in the last Labour government] agreed that a new building was necessary to replace the CLASP building. [I believe that a design for the new building was agreed although I have never seen it]. This was enthusiastically received by the population of Shildon.
Alas the Labour Party lost the 2010 General Election and Shildon lost its replacement school as the Conservative Minister of Education; Michael Gove; cancelled the project!
Evidence would indicate that Sunnydale school, despite some excellent OFSTED reports, was allowed to deteriorate until it was finally demolished in 2024.
The closure of the only Secondary School in Shildon removed an important focal point in the town and Secondary School children are now forced to travel to schools in other towns.
This town, appropriately called the Cradle of the Railways, suffered with the closure of the Wagon Works and has now suffered again with the loss of its only Secondary School during the reign of the Conservative Party since 2010.
As such I would ask whether the Labour Party [should they succeed in the forthcoming General Election] would review the situation with the aim of honouring the agreement to build a new school in Shildon made by their recent political ancestors?
Yours sincerely,
Fred Langley, Shildon
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
