Andy Burnham, who grew up in Culcheth, has handed a rather splendid red plaque to Hope Academy in Newton-le-Willows, the successor school to his old St Aelred’s. It is part of the 93 Per Cent Club’s Made in State School campaign, which celebrates prominent people educated in the state system.
The plaque was presented to Mr Burnham at his first Labour Party Conference since taking office as Prime Minister. He said it belonged on the wall at Hope Academy, explaining that St Aelred’s later merged with Selwyn Jones to form the present school.
“This plaque on that wall would be the right place for it,” he said, adding that he believed the school would proudly display it.
Frankly, it is hard to argue with the sentiment. State-school pupils are too often fed the faintly ridiculous idea that success belongs to people with a double-barrelled surname, a rowing club membership and a family friend at a City firm. A visible reminder that someone from Culcheth and the Newton-le-Willows school community reached the very top is a useful corrective.
The 93 Per Cent Club says its red plaques borrow from Britain’s familiar blue-plaque tradition, but celebrate the schools that helped shape notable figures. Its message is straightforward: working-class, state-educated children can achieve whatever they set their minds to. Simple, true, and considerably more meaningful than another corporate poster telling teenagers to “dream big” in Comic Sans.
Mr Burnham also nominated fellow Hope Academy alumnus Rick Astley for a future plaque. Given that Astley has spent decades proving he is never going to give up on a career, it seems a very fair shout.
For Culcheth, it is a small but pleasing reminder that local roots matter. A plaque cannot fix every pressure facing state schools, of course, and inspiration is no substitute for proper funding, support and opportunity. But as symbols go, this one has landed in exactly the right place.