Plans for a new secondary school in Littleborough, known as Star Lakeside Academy, have been stalled for over a year, leaving the community awaiting news since initial discussions began in 2019. The project has been plagued by multiple delays and a lack of communication from the Department for Education (DfE), which has yet to provide a significant update on the situation.
The proposed school is to be located on the playing fields behind Littleborough Community Primary School. While a similar secondary school in Bowlee opened in 2021, Littleborough’s plans have encountered numerous obstacles, including financial concerns and issues related to site access. These complications were exacerbated when five different Conservative MPs served as Secretary of State for Education between July and October 2022. The most recent holder of the position, Gillian Keegan, decided to pause several building programs, including the one in Littleborough, to evaluate their feasibility.
In November 2023, a review indicated that the Littleborough scheme had been “unpaused.” However, with a general election looming, uncertainty persists regarding the project’s status. Demand for secondary school placements in Littleborough remains critical. Recent council reports indicate that there were 584 pupils in Primary Year 6 in May 2025, while only 510 places were available in Pennines schools for the upcoming September. This situation led to approximately 14 percent of families needing to seek placements outside the Pennines.
Rochdale’s MP, Paul Waugh, expressed his concerns in a letter to the Minister for School Standards in autumn 2024. He highlighted the dire need for additional educational facilities, stating that the current lack of places for children transitioning from primary to secondary school has become “unmanageable.”
The council’s documents further revealed that across Rochdale, there are 1,444 Primary Year 6 pupils, with only 1,290 places available in the borough. This leaves a shortage of places, particularly in the Pennines area, where no spaces are currently available. The council forecast for Year 7 indicates a predicted shortage of 33 places in 2027 and 6 places in 2028, before the numbers decrease through 2031.
Waugh’s letter emphasized the negative impact on families, noting that children are often required to take multiple buses, resulting in commutes of up to an hour each way. This separation can lead to significant stress for families, as children find themselves divided from their siblings and parents during the school day.
The community’s frustration is palpable as they continue to await clarity on the future of Star Lakeside Academy. The lack of a timely response from the DfE only adds to the uncertainty surrounding the much-needed educational facility.
