EXPANSION plans at a Huddersfield academy have prompted a massive row.

And there are fears that Shelley College’s proposals may spell the end for the middle school system in Huddersfield.

Parents fear for the future of the successful system since the College put forward plans to accept students at age 11.

There have been very vociferous protests against the proposals from headteacher John McNally and the governors.

Shelley is at the top of the highly-rated Shelley Pyramid of 20 schools and currently has some 1,400 pupils aged between 13 and 18.

It became an academy in September 2011, which moved the school out of local authority control and finance. All of the feeder schools have remained within Kirklees Council’s authority.

Under the present system, students arrive at the academy from either Kirkburton or Scissett Middle Schools.

However, the academy’s governors have now decided to press ahead with proposals to take on Year 7 and 8 pupils (11 and 12-year-olds), which would mean an extra 330 to 360 pupils per year.

They are about to embark on a formal consultation process in November, which will last until next March.

Their findings will be presented to the Education Funding Agency and, if accepted, will be passed on to the Secretary of State for Education for approval.

Where this would leave the two middle schools is uncertain.

Currently the Pyramid’s 17 first schools take children from as young as three through to nine years old. The middle schools cater for Years 6, 7 and 8 (ten to 13-year-olds) and at the top is Shelley College, with 13 to 18-year-old students.

This system involves two changes of school for pupils. The proposed scheme would involved only one transition. Opinions are divided as to whether this is a good or a bad thing for young people.

Rumours have been spreading through the villages like wildfire about the future of the two middle schools.

A Facebook page entitled Keep Shelley Pyramid For Our Children has been set up by Kirsty Senior, mother of a seven-year-old who attends one of the first schools.

She says: “I and many others are not from this area and have never experienced a pyramid system before moving here.

“I then had a child and this is the system I am given and realise it works very well.

“There are arguments for and against on both sides, but the issue is more a fact that financially the other schools funded by Kirklees are not, and will not, have the ability to deal with situation, and this has not gone through any of the correct channels. It is my child’s future.”

The Facebook page has received numerous messages of support from other parents, including one from Vicky Wood who said: “We just don’t want this happening to our kids!

“I’ve lived round here all my life and I went to Scissett Middle School, can’t see why they think it will benefit our children.

“Why try fix something when it’s not broken?”

To try and contain the rumours, Scissett and Kirkburton middle schools have issued a joint letter to parents of all 1,014 pupils at the two schools informing then that they will not be closing.

A Kirklees Council spokesman said: “We are aware that Shelley College are considering this move and we are working with all the schools involved to look at the different options.

“At all stages the best interests of local children will be foremost in our thoughts.”

Letter to parents

THIS is the letter sent to parents by the head teachers of Kirkburton and Scissett Middle Schools:

Dear Parents/Carers,

This letter is a short note intended to clarify a number of points regarding rumours which have been circulating between parents and pupils over the past few days.

As I am sure you are aware, Shelley College has become an Academy. This makes them independent of the Local Authority. All the other eighteen Middle and First schools in our pyramid are maintained by the Local Authority.

Shelley Academy is currently examining an option to admit some Year 7 pupils in the future. This week, the Local Authority have publicly re-confirmed, again, that standards are high in the Shelley Pyramid and that the Local Authority have no plans to re-organise any of our schools.

We are aware there are rumours that some schools are closing - this is totally incorrect. As always everyone at Kirkburton Middle School/Scissett Middle School will continue to provide an education of the highest standard within a caring and supportive environment. We will keep you informed should there be any future developments.

Shelley statement SHELLEY COLLEGE statement outlining the proposals.

"Governors can confirm they intend to consult on a proposal to extend our age range to admit pupils into Year 7 from September 2014 onwards.

"The consultation will take place sometime between November and March.

"The change would bring us into line with all other Kirklees’ high schools and virtually every other secondary school in the country.

"We believe there is a very strong case for further improving educational outcomes and creating fantastic facilities for the local community.

"Although we are one of the most successful comprehensive schools in the country, we believe further improvements are possible but that change is necessary in an increasingly changing national landscape.

"This change will help us prepare students for the new qualifications announced recently by the government and help us to offer a world-class education for our young people.

"We have delayed the start of the consultation to allow time for important discussions with other schools in our area and the Local Authority.

"We understand that change can be very difficult indeed and we are sympathetic to worry our plans may cause. Our foremost aim is to be clear to parents about our plans, to listen to their views and provide the utmost clarity about how the changes might affect children and families in the area.

"We will consult very widely indeed but ask for patience at this stage, to allow us to time to prepare plans that best meet the needs of the young people concerned."

View of Shelley College’s head teacher SHELLEY COLLEGE head teacher Mr John McNally first announced proposals for the school to become an Academy last year.

In March 2011, he said it was a good move for the whole of the area.

He said then: "This change represents an opportunity for the school to improve even further, whilst still recognising our responsibility to support the wider system.

"It will give us a little more freedom to provide the services that support the needs of our students best, but we will continue to work with other schools and the local authority to ensure we play our full part in providing the best possible provision for all young people in Kirklees".

Now he has found himself under fire over his latest plans.

He set out the reasons behind the proposed expansion at the school.

If the plans go ahead, they would be put into place from September 2014 and would eventually increase pupils numbers at the academy from around 1,400 to between 1,800 and 2,000.

Mr McNally said: "We have not made any decision as yet; we are intending to consult between November and March.

"There are various reasons for it. It would bring us into line with the rest of the country; there are very, very few systems on the three-tier model.

"We want it to further improve outcomes for young people. We quite understand that it will cause some worry and want to work with other people as much as we can.

"We have got lots of changes on the horizon. Michael Gove is looking at qualifications and the future and there are a lot of benefits from having young people at an earlier age.

"It is generally accepted that the fewer transitions, the better for young people.

"We are not seeking to make schools unviable, we are seeking to provide the best education for young people."

Scissett response Scissett Middle School head teacher HELEN BAXTER said:

"We are totally against the proposals. This has been for many years a very high performing pyramid and we all agree, it is a journey for the pupils from first through middle to high school.

"We are very proud of our middle schools here. The three-tier system has about 170 schools in the country, and worldwide the system is very much alive and providing excellent education.

"From a middle school context, the pupils come to us and we nurture and guide them through adolescence. When they leave they are eager for the next stage at Shelley.

"It is about the whole child and giving them the confidence for academic rigour and to become well rounded citizens – this is where middle schools play a huge role.

"Some children come from some very small, nurturing village schools and to plunge them into a school with up to 2,000 pupils would be horrendous for some.

"We are passionate about our system and our children are very happy, we have caring, community feel. The parents who have emailed and phoned me are very much against the proposals."

In the last Ofsted report, Scissett was rated as Outstanding in virtually every area.

Kirkburton response

Kirkburton Middle School head teacher GARY JOHNSON said:

"It is only a proposal and our position is that we are opposed to what could be the dismantling of the highly performing Shelley Pyramid.

"We have not been involved in consultations yet. There is a lot of concern from parents and we have had enormous support in a very short space of time.

"The Shelley Pyramid produces high achieving, articulate, well-rounded pupils and the journey they make is one which works.

"It is the whole journey that is important - the special education, guidance and support at a crucial time for adolescents.

"As a middle school we work extremely closely with Scissett and the first schools to provide what we feel is best for the pupils. We combat what is a proven Year 8 decline in main high schools.

We prepare our pupils well and they are ready to begin a new phase when they start at Shelley College. In interviews with Shelley students 18 months ago, they felt that the two points of transition was beneficial and better equipped them for later life."

"We feel that what we have got is fantastic and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."

In the last Ofsted report, Kirkburton was awarded mostly grade 2’s (Good), with Outstanding for pupils’ behaviour.