Castle Hall School closure plan sparks outrage

Mar 6 2009 by Nick lavigueur, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

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ANGRY parents have condemned Kirklees Council’s controversial plan to close Castle Hall school.

The surprise move comes only a few weeks after a similar plan proposed by the former Tory council was bitterly opposed by councillors in the current Labour–Lib Dem coalition.

But they are now in power they still aim to shut the school.

Mum Angela Holden, who has 13-year-old twins at the school, said: “I think it’s outrageous. The reason I brought my children up here to this school was because of the small size and the fact that it had good teachers and a good reputation.

“I don’t want to have to take my children to a huge school with a 1,000-plus students.”

Rosalind Longo, 53, who has a daughter in year 10, said the school had such a good reputation that she had registered an interest more than 10 years ago.

“I think it’s very sad,’’ she said. “It’s a school with a lot of qualities. “It’s a high class school – people actually move house in Mirfield to be in its catchment area and have done for many years.

“I just feel that the joining of Castle Hall and Mirfield Free Grammar is going to make one horrendous big school.

“Mirfield Free Grammar hasn’t got a good reputation as it is now.