Burley C of E First School has not been robbed of its special ethos, claimed Bradford Council's education review chairman this week.

Councillor Susanne Rooney (Lab, Eccleshill) has spoken of her 'devastation' at having to tear up plans which would have largely maintained the school, albeit on a different site.

Councillors meet on Tuesday (September 8) to discuss the final report of the education review team.

It is expected councillors will approve the recommendation to close the Burley C of E First School and establish a new county school on the Burley Middle School site.

All associated with the Aireville Terrace-based school believed they had secured a partial victory back in June, with the council's decision that staff and pupils from Burley C of E would make up the majority on the Langford Lane site.

However, this now seems likely to be binned as the Council looks to create a new school and new governing body, hopefully maintaining the excellence of both schools.

Coun Rooney told Wharfedale Newspapers: "I will be asking Burley C of E First School and Burley Middle School to nominate LEA governors, parent governors and teacher governors."

Business and community governors will be co-opted as will Council and opposition representatives.

Coun Rooney said: "Governors must be experienced governors in primary education.

"I am committed to maintaining the excellent ethos of Burley C of E First School. I hope the majority of staff who wish to do so, will go the new school."

However, Coun Rooney could not guarantee every member of staff from the C of E First School would find a job at the new school.

"Councillors were devastated that we couldn't do what we wanted, with regard to Burley C of E School," said Coun Rooney.

She told Wharfedale Newspapers last week, the Department for Education had hinted it would not approve the proposal for a new county school with the governors and staff of the first school.

Coun Rooney accepted there had been a large groundswell of opinion in favour of retaining church status, but the Council had a duty to maintain its commitment to choice.

Glynne Edwards, Burley C of E head teacher said he did not really want to comment at this stage but said he shared the disappointment of the LEA at seeing its recommendation overturned.

Gary Shipley, chairman of Burley C of E First School's PTA said it would be inappropriate for him to comment at this stage, but said the matter would be discussed at a PTA meeting later this week.

The Council must now begin the process of publishing statutory notices detailing the proposed changes, giving people two months to make further representations to the DFEE.

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