Parents vote against North Kirklees school plans

Jun 8 2009 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A MASSIVE 65% of parents in schools affected by planned closures and mergers are threatening to educate their children outside Kirklees.

A referendum was organised by parents in North Kirklees to find out what people want.

It comes as the new council cabinet said there will not be a high school in Birkenshaw.

Instead parents would have to send their children to school in Batley – more than three miles away.

The survey found that 65% of parents would send their children to schools outside Kirklees if the plans go ahead.

Around 90% do not want school sizes to increase and 92% of parents at Whitcliffe Mount School believe their children’s education would be affected if the school’s admissions increase to 1500.

Parents Lisa Holmes and Lesley Surman handed 920 pages of results and feedback to education chiefs on Friday.

Lisa Holmes, whose children go to school in East Bierley, said: “The council needs to wake up to the strong feelings against their school proposals throughout Birstall and Birkenshaw.

“Gone are the days when parents will do as they are told by politicians – parents will not stand for second class education for their children.”

The survey was conducted in May with parents of all primary schools in Birkenshaw, Birstall, Gomersal and East Bierley.