Education

Nottingham school for pregnant teenagers to close

Nottingham City Council has confirmed it will close a school for pregnant and teenage mums.

The authority’s executive board met today to make a final decision on the future of Beckhampton Learning Centre, Edwards Lane.

They decided it is to close at the end of the academic year because of costs and a lack of pupils.

The school offers support for pregnant pupils and new mothers who do not fit into mainstream schools.

The council argued that the school was no longer needed as Nottingham City Schools were dealing with school pregnancies better and no longer needed to refer them to Beckhampton Learning Centre.

On average 14 pupils were at the school but a 50 per cent decrease in school pregnancies in Nottingham has reduced the demand.

The school costs nearly £400,000 a year but has only five pupils enrolled this year.

The council undertook a public consultation of the planned closure and says 75 per cent approved of the change.

The closure menas £275,000 will be reallocated to help fund the increasing number of special school students.