A THREATENED school could be saved after a day of drama over the major schools shake-up saga.

Councillors yesterday decided to reconsider plans to close Castle Hall School in Mirfield.

And Dewsbury could now get a sixth-form college.

Marina Poppa – whose daughter Jasmine, 11, goes to the school – had just handed in a petition to 10 Downing Street when she heard the news.

“We’re absolutely delighted that Kirklees Council has decided to listen to what the parents, students, staff and governors have been saying,” she said. “We feel this is a real victory for people power.”

In September the council’s ruling Conservatives announced a £200m plan for schools in Dewsbury, Mirfield, Batley and other towns in north Kirklees. The proposal involves closing 11 schools.

Castle Hall would shut, with pupils moving to an expanded Mirfield Free Grammar.

But parents and teachers have campaigned vigorously against the closure. About 250 pupils, parents and supporters marched through Mirfield on Saturday demanding that the school stays open.

And yesterday afternoon campaigners presented a petition with more than 3,700 signatures to 10 Downing Street.

At the same time in Huddersfield Kirklees Cabinet’s member for schools, Clr Jim Dodds, announced new plans would be drawn up which could keep Castle Hall open.

Ms Poppa said: “We heard the news just after we’d handed in the petition. A big cheer went up. It feels like democracy in action.”

The campaigners were accompanied to No 10 by Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik, whose constituency covers Mirfield.

Ms Poppa said: “We think Shahid Malik has made a big difference.”

The MP welcomed the decision to reprieve Castle Hall.

He said: “This is a victory for the school community of Castle Hall and for the future of our children. It is undoubtedly a victory for common sense, but there is still a long way to go.”

“I, along with head teachers and school governors across Dewsbury and Mirfield, will continue to develop our plans for the future of our area.

“We look forward to working with the council’s education officers to secure an outcome that will serve young people well not just for the next five years, but the next 50.”

Clr Dodds also announced yesterday that Kirklees officers would draw up new plans for a sixth form in Dewsbury.

Mr Malik said: “We were told that, come hell or high water, the Tories would shut the doors on the excellent sixth form at St John Fisher and deprive youngsters in Dewsbury of any sixth-form provision whatsoever in the town.

“By standing together and campaigning for the common good we have forced a humiliating political U-turn by the Conservatives.”

Clr Dodds said: “I’m keen to look at retaining Castle Hall and I’m also keen to look at providing sixth-form provision in Dewsbury. Work will begin on new plans immediately.

“These are the two main issues that have dominated the consultation sessions.

“Indeed, some 300 people attended the consultation session at Castle Hall and 250 at Mirfield Free Grammar, by far the largest two attendances of the 28 sessions we have held across the district so far, with only six more sessions remaining.”

Earlier this month Labour and Lib Dem councillors demanded that the consultation stop and new plans be drawn up from scratch.

But Clr Dodds believes this would be wrong.

He said: “Some 28 drop-in sessions have already been held, attended by 1,500 people. There are only six more to go, so it would be ridiculous to deprive people in those areas concerned of the opportunity to have their say as we move towards completing the consultation programme.

“It would be absolutely folly to flush all this important work down the pan.”

Clr Dodds added that the Cabinet had not made any decisions on the schools plan.

He said: “I have emphasised on numerous occasions that these are proposals and no decisions have been made, or will be made, until the responses to them are considered in great detail.”

Labour, Lib Dem and Green councillors have been invited to take part in fresh discussions about the schools plan.