Closure
Plans were unveiled in December 2007 to merge the school by September 2010 with The Crestwood School, in nearby Kingswinford, and to create a new Academy. However, these plans were scrapped in March 2009 by Dudley Council due to financial technicalities. Dudley Council soon afterwards announced plans to close the school at the end of the 2009/10 academic year. Despite widespread opposition by pupils, staff, parents and members of the local community, the decision to close the school was made on 29 December 2009 with effect from July 2010. However, it remained open for two years as a learning centre for the oldest two year groups in the school, before completely closing in July 2012, bringing an end to 80 years of education at the site.
Just after the decision to close the school was confirmed, it was revealed that Pensnett High had once again been the lowest ranking school in the borough for pupils studying for GCSEs being completed in summer 2009. However, the total of pupils gaining 5 GCSEs at grade C or above had improved to 19% from 11% the previous year. A new high of 32% was attained in 2010.
Read more about this topic: Pensnett High School