City creates groups to deal with issues facing schools

FOUR new working groups have been set up by the city council to tackle issues 
facing schools.

The groups will look at making school facilities available to local residents, support for pupils with behavioural difficulties, nursery provision and a predicted rise in school rolls.

The Community Access to Schools (CATS) group will aim to build upon the “educational, cultural, sporting, leisure and community 
activity” taking place at schools across the city.

The group will consider changes to how communities can access facilities, potentially using an online bookings and payments system. The CATS review will also identify other secondary schools that are best placed to function as community sport hubs.

Councillor Paul Godzik, the city’s education leader, said: “Schools are, in many instances, the biggest and best facilities in many communities and we want to see them being accessed in a better way.

“It is important to highlight that CATS is about much more than sport, with many of these facilities being used for lifelong learning, adult education, youth work and to provide support to community groups.

“We want to build on these links and further strengthen the role of our schools in the community.”