Responses from parents during the public consultation exercise earlier this year have overwhelmingly backed the two-tier option.

More than 74,000 questionnaires were circulated to parents and just under a third were returned.

Of these, 8,854 backed the proposal to go two-tier, with 6,891 voting for slimming down the present system but retaining first, middle and upper schools.

A further, 2,222 voted in favour of the third option to change to two-tier but allowing Ilkley schools to remain three-tier.

Two-thirds of parents who responded, with children at first schools, voted for two-tier. More than half of the parents with children at middle schools voted to retain the current system.

Of all the responses, 10,000 parents said the system was now working as well as it should and 12,500 said change was necessary to raise standards.

However more than 9,000 disagreed that cutting the number of schools would result in better value for money.

A total of 269 headteachers were also sent questionnaires and 185 were returned. Of these 114, preferred two-tier while 61 favoured cuts to the present system.

More than 60 heads strongly agreed that the two-tier system would improve pupils levels of achievement.

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