Three middle schools in Ilkley have decided to close five days early in the summer to allow reorganisation work to start.

Addingham Middle, Burley Middle and Ilkley Middle will shut their doors for good on Friday July 14.

The move is part of Bradford district's schools shake-up, which will see the area's three-tier system replaced by a two-tier one - in effect eradicating middle schools.

Brian Hall, the head teacher of Addingham Middle, said the early closure would have an effect on children's education, but the decision was unavoidable.

"Of course, the loss of five days school will have an adverse affect," he said.

"It is not an ideal situation, but it is inevitable."

Addingham is closing in readiness for adaptations to the building which will mean that Addingham Primary can move in and occupy the premises.

Burley is closing to make way for the entirely new Burley Primary School.

The building currently occupied by Ilkley Middle School will be used to form the lower school site for Ilkley Grammar School.

Mr Hall said the primary schools moving into their premises had not yet decided whether they would take advantage of the five free days offered by Bradford Council this year to schools affected by the reorganisation.

A final decision was unlikely until the Council had appointed a managing partner to oversee the building projects during the shake-up, he said.

Middle schools will need the five days with no pupils in the building in order to vacate the premises properly.

"We will be spending that time packing up, labelling and sending off resources and furniture which other schools will use," said Mr Hall, who has been at Addingham Middle since it opened 21 years ago.

"It is going to be very sad for everyone, but we are doing our best to make sure the transfer is smooth."

But, he said the school was determined to sign off on a high note.

Former pupils, staff and parents have been invited to a Celebration Sunday Garden Party on July 9 to be held at the school.

The Bolton Road school's Parents Teacher Association is giving commemorative badges to all the pupils and organising a series of days out.

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