Alex Feakes visits the new Forest Hill School

12.55.14pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 17th Oct 2008

Alex Feakes visiting Forest Hill School

Not one to miss an opportunity to examine close at hand the exciting new buildings at Forest Hill School, Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman for Lewisham West & Penge, was pleased to be given a tour of the facility this week and to have a chance to see how the use of the new building was settling down. The school is an all-boys specialist performing arts comprehensive in the heart of Forest Hill, with a mixed sixth-form through membership of the Hillsyde consortium.

The new school replaced a rather run-down older building, and being built under the controversial PFI method and run by Ecovert FM, provides a useful learning model for other school projects being built in a similar way as part of the government's Building Schools for the Future initiative.

"There is no doubt that the new building looks fabulous," commented Alex, "with the design incorporating some innovative features, ensuring that all class rooms have adequate ventilation and light, and having a great central space that doubles up as a dining hall, assembly room and a performance area."

"It was pleasing to see the enthusiasm of the students as they used the extensive music and drama facilities - so much more than was available than when I was at school in the 80s", said Alex. "Clearly the school takes its specialism seriously and made it work, and with so much activity, competition for the rehearsal rooms must be intense! As a governor of nearby Sydenham School, there's a lot we can learn from Forest Hill's experiences."

With plans from the local authority to expand Special Educational Needs tuition into mainstream schools, some local residents have expressed concern that the local schools won't be given sufficient resources to provide the right facilities and staffing, and schools such as Forest Hill that are run under PFI arrangements may have even bigger problems.

"The lack of flexibility to accommodate change under PFI contracts is a real concern," said Alex, "and it's an issue that I have raised with the education chiefs at the the Town Hall. I hope they will learn from the Forest Hill School PFI and not allow school managers get locked-in to inflexible premises arrangements."

Related Link:

Forest Hill School.