Keighley MP Ann Cryer says there is no need for Bradford education bosses to close tiny Oldfield School.

Under Bradford council's schools review, the much-loved 40-pupil school is up for closure - along with all middle schools - in the district's biggest educational shake-up in decades. The move comes as part of a massive change from a three-tier education structure to a primary-secondary model in an effort to raise standards.

But Mrs Cryer says she is standing by Oldfield because of its tremendous value to the community and high achievement levels. She says she has received a letter from every parent at the school asking for her help. She says: "I have tak-en up the case to keep Oldfield because I feel it has the strength to stand on its own."

Altogether, Mrs Cryer has received around 500 letters from parents, teachers, governors and staff in the Keighley district and has passed on all their concerns to Bradford's schools review team and education minister Stephen Byers.

She adds: "Stephen Byers and David Blunkett, Secretary of State for Education, are well aware of the views expressed in the letters. It seems to me the vast majority of schools in Keighley are satisfied with the proposals. They might have minor moans. David Blunkett and Stephen Byers will not let the changes go ahead until there is enough money in the kitty and are sure no one is going to suffer."

She stresses she can only help those schools who appr-oach her in writing and claims to have heard nothing from Oakbank School. Oakbank is fighting to keep Bronte Middle School open and stop itself from losing pupils to the newly-proposed secondary school in Cullingworth.

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