City to keep single sex schools

A city's parents have given strong backing to single sex schools following a council consultation.

Manchester City Council's consultation took place against a shortage of co-educational high school places in some parts of the city.

Plans are being drawn up to meet parental demands, including retaining its five single sex high schools.

The Council's Children and Young People's Scrutiny Committee will discuss the options next month.

'Strong support'

They will then be presented to the council executive.

Councillor Jeff Smith, Manchester City Council's Executive Member for Children's Services, said: "We consulted widely within local communities and with faith groups on this issue and what the consultation showed us was that while there is support for more co-educational places there is also strong support for retaining single sex provision."

The council is preparing to rebuild or refurbish all of its high schools through the government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

Its single sex boys' schools are North Manchester High School for Boys and Burnage High School, and for girls North Manchester High School for Girls, Whalley Range High School and Levenshulme High School.