The fate of Keighley's Bront Middle School has been decided.

It will continue to provide education.

No details have yet been released, but one suggestion is that the buildings could be used as a temporary base while the new Holycroft First School is built.

The revelation about the Bront site was made by Cllr Eileen McNally who represents Silsden and Steeton on Bradford council.

She told Tuesday's education committee meeting at City Hall, Bradford: "We wouldn't wish to close down the Bront site at all and this is not our intention. The Bront Middle School buildings will not be lost to the people of Keighley and we are actively working on its continued use for education."

The revelation came during historic meetings when the council voted on its controversial school review proposals.

It was the first time throughout the whole of the review that many people had heard of such plans for Bront. And the fate of Bront - earmarked for closure by the Labour-run cou-ncil - has been one of the thorniest review issues in Keighley.

In a statement issued this week to the Keighley News Cllr Susanne Rooney, deputy chairman of education, confirmed the Bront decision.

She said: "The Bront Middle School buildings will not be lost to the people of Keighley. As we have said before, we want the site to continue to be used for education and we are actively working on this."

Oakbank School governors want to use nearby Bront as a split-site upper school, but have been rebuffed by the council. Now Oakbank is going to the Government with its own proposals.

Oakbank head-teacher John Roberts says of this week's Bront revelation: "I have not heard about this before. If the buildings are going to still be used, why not keep it as a school? And do they mean only the Bront building or have they included the playing field on Goose Cote Lane?"

Bront head Suzanne Howell says: "We know nothing about this. I don't know what they intend to use it for. It has been suggested that it will be a possible holding base for Holycroft First School pupils while their new primary school is built."

Holycroft First School head Sarah Kingston says she is aware of the possibility of her pupils using the Bront site, but does not know details.

Keighley Education Action Group (KEAG) has welcomed the news.

KEAG spokesman Val Wright says: "It's great news, but what will it be used for? This change of heart by Bradford still doesn't solve the problem of where our children will be taught."

The action group says its principal fight - to ensure enough secondary school places are provided in Keighley - will go on. It believes the council's decision to close all middle schools in the town, turn first schools into primary schools and convert Oakbank and Greenhead upper schools into secondary schools will leave 270 11-year-olds without a classroom seat. It will lodge a formal objection to the proposals with the Department for Education and Employment.

We asked the council yesterday what the Bront site would be used for but no one would comment.

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