A WORRIED mum has asked the Government to save her local school.

Marie Morris wants Kirklees Council to scrap plans to close Castle Hall and send pupils to Mirfield Free Grammar instead.

Now she has asked schools minister Ed Balls to help.

Mrs Morris’s nine-year-old daughter and five-year-old son attend Crowlees Junior and Infants, one of Castle Hall’s feeder schools.

She said: “I would be happy for my children to go to Castle Hall, but I don’t want them to go to Mirfield Free Grammar with 2,000 other children. It’s just too big.”

Mrs Morris emailed Mr Balls earlier this week asking him to intervene.

The Mirfield mum told him: “The reasons we have been given for this closure are vague and sketchy. When we have tried to obtain the rationale behind the decision we have been met with a wall of silence.

“Kirklees is saying it is a consultation, but we have our doubts. The final decision will be made by the council in December which doesn’t give us much time to oppose their ‘carefully considered’ proposal.

“I would appreciate any advice or guidance you are able to offer.”

A huge plan outlining massive changes for education in Mirfield, Dewsbury, Batley and other towns in north Kirklees has been put forward for consultation.

Castle Hall is one of 11 schools earmarked for closure as part of a massive reorganisation of schools in north Kirklees.

The council’s Conservative Cabinet is in the middle of a six-week consultation on the £200m plan.

Cabinet member for schools Clr Jim Dodds said: “The early weeks of the consultation have gone extremely well and I am very pleased at the immense interest being shown and attendance at the network of drop-in sessions that will continue into November.

“Not unexpectedly, the proposals have met with a wide range of responses and views to date and that will no doubt continue, both from parents, governors, staff, councillors and residents.

“I note that there have been specific reports and comments made by councillor colleagues and I would welcome their input. There is plenty of time for them to formulate their own proposals and I hope they will take the opportunity of discussing these with senior officers within the council who can help and advise.

“It is important that, as with the Cabinet’s proposals subject of the current consultations, that any alternative proposals reflect the whole of North Kirklees and not individual schools and fit within the overall financial framework.”