Letters

You ask why the changes arising from the review are not attached to the report. There is a reason.

It was decided by the council, in liaison with the Department for Education and Employment, that the major role of the council was to decide in principle on the basis of evidence available, whether a two tier, three tier or mixed system was best for our children as we move into the next millennium.

The evidence, which you have to hand, is overwhelming in its support of a two tier system. To have muddied this debate with consideration of sites would have detracted from the quest to raise standards and to equip our children to deal with the modern world. The sites to be used for any new system are important but secondary to educational standards and will follow on sequentially.

The site proposals will go to an Education Committee on April 7 and if approved be subject to a period of consultation until May 29. A further report will go to the Education Committee in June making final recommendations on sites.

Your sister paper the Telegraph & Argus in its comment on March 17, whilst recognising there will be a painful reorganisation process, was 'overjoyed at the huge boost we are sure it will eventually provide for the children in the district in the years to come'. The headline was "Common sense at last".

The pessimism you attribute to headteachers is difficult to equate with the evidence.

The report shows that of 114 out of 185 headteachers who replied to a questionnaire, 62 per cent are in favour of a two tier system.

Show me a reorganisation of this magnitude where senior management have voted for chance in such numbers.

CLLR JOHN COPE,

Labour Worth Valley,

member of

Education Committee.

SIR - While the parents, teachers and pupils of the Worth Valley wait for the Labour-led council to type the list of schools deemed for closure - a list which was written last year, but required a method of implementation - the full implications of this manipulative and misleading review process becomes more apparant.

Bront' Middle School will not only close, it will be demolished. Planning permission will be given to develop new housing, with Oakbank at full quota, having to accommodate years 11 to 18. The rest of the children of the Worth Valley will have to travel across Keighley to Greenhead School. For some that means a journey of eight miles, for most it will mean at least a journey of three miles and therefore the cost of the transport will have to be paid by the council.

So what do the people of the Worth Valley get out of this School Review? Well, even before we find out which village schools are to close, we can thank the Labour Council for the closure of our middle schools, more houses in Oakworth, more cars in Oakworth, long journeys to school for our children and the pleasure of paying more council tax.

KRIS HOPKINS

Prospective Conservative Candidate, Worth Valley

SIR - 'Good schools will close.' Whilst I understand that your front page article of March 20 was probably referring to the schools remaining after the closure of middle schools I feel that it is important to recognise what we will lose when the system is reorganised.

Many middle schools are extremely successful organisations, which offer a great deal to the children and are appreciated by parents and the local community.

I understand the arguments of those that do not like the 'structure' of the three-tier education but do please spare a thought for those of us who have worked hard and have been committed to success of middle schools.

It is my view that over recent years middle schools have 'come of age' and are better placed than ever to make a positive contribution to children's education.

There are problems associated with the three-tier structure but they are not insurmountable, and given the support of all phases we could have made the system work better.

It would be far more effective to invest all our energies into improving the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom rather than spending several years reorganising things.

But, off we go on the road to the Promised Land of two-tier education. Of course, we have not been told how much it will all cost, there has been little mention of how sixth forms or nurseries will be organised, we do not know how long it will take or how staff will be treated, and we do not know how each school will be affected. Side issues?

Soon we will hear about the direct implications for each school and community.

I feel at this stage that parents will be less interested in issues of structure and will see for themselves the upheaval that is on its way.

Of course the Local Education Authority may well conduct the changes in well planned, co-ordinated and highly efficient manner. Or, it could be unbridled chaos.

Personally, I am ready for the chaos. Confusion, anxiety and low morale are already features of many staffrooms and we have only just begun.

When we add to this clumsy management, delays, building problems, financial difficulties and government interference, we have a recipe for an extremely difficult few years.

Members of the review team have publicly stated that they cannot guarantee that standards will improve after the change in structure. They have also stated that it is likely during the changeover period that standards will fall.

Children who are in schools during the next few years cannot come back for a second go. Are we really so eager to offer them up as a sacrifice in our march towards such an uncertain future?

I am proud of the work we do at Calversyke Middle School and pay tribute to a hard working and dedicated staff.

We feel that our school is going from strength to strength and so I am sure that you can understand our sadness that all is to be dismantled when reorganisation begins.

Good schools will close.

DAVID S BRETT,

Headteacher, Calversyke Middle School.

SIR - Your report on the School Review, Friday March 20, stated that Bronte Middle School has a significant number of spare places.

This is rather misleading and I hope you will consider printing the following information as we have had a number of enquiries from parents in the Keighley district.

Bront' was originally built as a Secondary school for approximately 800 pupils. When it became a Middle school admission numbers were reduced to 150 per year group giving a total of 600 places.

At the present time Bront' has approximately 565 pupils and numbers for September 1998 are likely to be 580+ 20 places, being a small percentage of surplus places and not a significant number as suggested in the Keighley News.

During the last three years the demand for places at Bront' has exceeded the 150 places available and many parents have been disappointed not to get their preferred choice of Middle School.

MRS S HOWELL,

Headteacher,

Bront' Middle School.

Editor's note. The figures quoted and the description as a 'significant number' were taken from the official review report.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.