A group of campaigning parents are waiting on a decision that would allow them to publish their formal proposals to set up their own school in Birkenshaw, Bradford.

It has been a long battle for dissatisfied mother Lesley Surman and a team of like-minded parents.

Plans to switch education from a three-tier to a two-tier system in North Kirklees will leave the communities of Birkenshaw, Birstall, East Bierley and Gomersal without a school. Children would instead have to travel 45 minutes to either an enlarged Whitcliffe Mount, Cleckheaton, or a new 1,350-pupil school at Howden Clough, Batley.

Since the changes were mooted by Kirklees Council, ten parents have formed a steering group to establish a secondary school in the village. They intend to run it themselves at the closing Birkenshaw Middle School.

During their quest, members of the group have met Schools Secretary Ed Balls, attended a seminar on forming parent-led schools with Shadow Schools Secretary Michael Gove and have held discussions with educationalists from as far afield as Sweden.

A business plan, a curriculum concentrating on core subjects and an ethos for their school have all been drafted, and Serco, the umbrella company for school support services firm Education Bradford, has emerged as partners.

Their submission is now in the hands of the Department for Children, Schools and Families’ Schools Commissioner.

The school would increase the capacity of the present site from 375 to 900 pupils and would cost the Government about £19 million.

Mrs Surman: said: “We’re 100 per cent confident we will get our high school and we’re really excited about it.”