Details have not yet been released about any new changes affecting schools in Keighley, although Councillor Suzanne Rooney - chairman of the review team - today assured parents that plans for new schools in the area would go ahead.

Under the last round of proposals Utley First School would have become a new primary school at the Cartmel Road site and a new secondary school would have been built in Cullingworth.

But a new row has erupted over plans for Oakbank Upper School. Parents had hoped the grant maintained school could secure a move to the existing Bronte Middle School site.

The Local Education Authority wants Oakbank to become a secondary school on its current site.

Coun Rooney said: "We understand the Department for Education and the Grant Maintained Status Body are both willing to support the LEA's decision."

Joyce Newton, from the Keighley Education Action Group, said: "This makes a mockery of the consultation process. What's the point of registering objections with the DFEE when it receives the final proposals in September if it has already made it's mind up?

"The Council might just as well have scrapped the consultation period because it isn't listening anyway."

A Blow for Burley

The new proposals are a blow for parents who campaigned to save staff from Burley CE First School.

Under original proposals in March this year, the first school was set to close with the middle school becoming a primary school for four to 11-year-olds, with new staff, at its current Langford Lane site.

But after a successful campaign, the Education Review Team amended their original proposals ruling that the middle school would close and the building would be taken over by first school staff. However, the new county primary would lose its church status.

But after an about-turn the review team is again recommending the closure of the first school with a new county school being built on the middle school site. The existing Burley Woodhead CE First School will not be affected .

Councillor Rooney said: "It was clear from public consultation that the community wanted to maintain the ethos of Burley CE First School. We thought we had cracked it by changing to county status but keeping the governors and staff from the first school. But the Department for Education has hinted that we can't do that."

Gary Shipley, chairman of the Parent Teacher Association at Burley CE First School, said he wasn't aware of any changes to the amended proposals as announced in June.

But he said: "If this means the first school is to close and all the staff are made redundant we are not going to be jumping for joy."

Church leaders were not prepared to comment on the plans until they had received a written report. Middle school headteacher Angus MacIntosh also declined to comment.

Councillor Rooney said Bradford Council had taken into account the widespread public comments.

"The controlling group has listened carefully to all the views presented and has tried to balance the wishes of individual communities with the overriding need to raise educational standards across the district," she said.

Full list of Bradford's upcoming school changes.

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