Middle School heads and parents today declared the proposals a two-tier education system - a sad day for Bradford.

The news of the proposals, though expected, still came as a shock to Middle School heads who believe a change to two-tier will cause years of disruption without any guarantee of improved results.

But many secondary school heads and parents welcomed the radical changes ahead.

Geoff Ensor, head at Ryan Middle, said: "I am thoroughly disappointed that the review team has not recognised the work done by middle schools over the last 27 years.

"I have great fears for the upheaval. It will have a shattering effect on approximately a third of the teaching profession in Bradford and I believe some of our children will be adversely affected for at least five years.

"I doubt the changes will have any impact on achievement, on finances or social harmony.

"I would urge councillors to think very carefully before they endorse and adopt the recommendations. I think it is a sad day for Bradford."

Maureen Ramsden, whose 12-year-old daughter Helen attends Mandale Middle School, Bradford, says changing the system now will only mean more upheaval for children.

"It is the children who are going to suffer. They will experience a lot of disruption to their schooling while this system gets off the ground - and then we will have to wait and see whether it actually works better. I understand the arguments for getting rid of middle schools and I hope I am proved wrong, but I think a lot of parents will be disappointed with the end result," she said.

Christine Peacock, head secretary at Rhodesway Upper School, whose teenage daughter, Lisa, is at the school, says although she voted in favour of the two-tier system it should not be seen as some kind of magic wand.

She said: "This new system will mean less disruption for children, but unless the local authority starts putting more money into education we won't see the benefit. I think parents realise it isn't, in itself, a magic wand."

But Neil Donkin, head of Eccleshill Upper, said he was delighted with the news.

"I believe it is good for children in our area. It will only mean a single transfer and I think it will raise standards because structure has been in the way over the years and standards have suffered as a result."

Alan Hall, headteacher of Belle Vue Girls School in Heaton, and convenor for the Bradford Upper School Heads Association said: "The majority of teachers have voted for a two tier system as have the majority of parents and governors. Diane Cavanagh made it clear there would be no staff made compulsorily redundant, which will be a relief for everybody."

Chris Milone, of Eccleshill North Middle, said she was "personally gutted".

"I believe in Middle Schools. I have worked in them for 15 years and the school I run is successful and meets the needs of the community," she said.

Headteacher at Belle Vue Boys School, Bruce Berry, said the switch to two tier schooling did not mean all upper schools were safe.

"It may be some of the schools are in the wrong place," he said. "None of us can be quite certain of our situation until we get our letters on the 31st. It's our job in education to get on with the business of re-organising and make it work.

"We are all professional enough to co-operate fully and put it into place. Children must not lose out and it's our job to make sure they don't."

Pam Ensor, headteacher of Worthinghead First School, said: "This is what we expected. We hope it will raise standards. That's what it's all about. But I'm waiting to find out whether I will be given more resources. I don't want a full school and bigger classes, having to teach two extra years, but with no more resources."

Bradford Councillor Margaret Eaton (Con, Bingley Rural), the leader of the Tory group at City Hall, said today: "This is going to have a devastating impact on Bingley and other places.

"What horrifies me in particular is the threat to middle schools in the Bingley Rural ward which have excellent standards and where children are benefiting from the system at the moment.

"It think it's absolutely dreadful that teams of teachers like we have at Cottingley First School, who have had a very successful analysis and results, are going to be disbanded. There's absolutely nothing here that suggests that it will do anything to improve standards."

Liberal Democrat education spokesman, Coun David Ward, said he would reserve a decision on the plans until he had seen the evidence for change.

"The general feeling from people who attended the meetings was that there was a bias in the way things have been carried out towards two tier," he said.

"We will wait to see the evidence but we have been very critical because we don't believe a professional analysis of the situation has been carried out."

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