Letters to the Editor

Education Bradford want to close Haycliffe Special School which I have over 20 years' association with as a teacher. If this plan goes through in its present form it will be totally destroyed with Bradford Education's plan only to take pupils with the most severe complex needs.

The school currently takes half of its pupils from the mainstream. Their former schools readily admit to being unable to meet the needs of these pupils. What, then, is to happen to the next generation of children when the provision at Haycliffe is withdrawn?

Haycliffe is a successful and dynamic school that excels in areas such as art, sport and drama, delivering an excellent education in life skills which is in high demand by parents. We are currently oversubscribed with a queue of parents going to appeal for a place at Haycliffe.

Yet Education Bradford wants to close us. Bradford can ill afford to lose a good school. It needs all it can get.

Philip Barker, Wroe Place, Wyke.

SIR - My son attends Haycliffe Special School and last week I had the privilege of observing one of his lessons. I felt his teacher to be a man of great skill and talent and I am delighted that my son is in his class.

I was also greatly impressed by the confidence, ease and contentment of the students with their situation and with each other. Even when challenged by a task, the students were not afraid to try in front of an audience. They showed caring and empathy towards each other which for me, working in a bustling mainstream secondary school, was humbling.

Children and parents feel that Haycliffe is a true community school benefiting from the broad mix of students, allowing children to learn from each other as well as from the excellent staff. Thanks to everyone for welcoming us into that community for the afternoon.

Annie Olive, Moor Terrace, Undercliffe.

SIR - Re the "lunch box controversy" at the Baildon school. I think that parents should work with schools in a constructive partnership to benefit all parties.

I really do think that children should patronise their school canteen and eat in a civilised fashion in a community atmosphere. It surely benefits their social interaction.

Gone are the dark old days when some of the school grub was barely edible, with over-boiled cabbage and lumpy rice pudding. There are now healthy options on the menu.

I implore the parents to give it a go! One hears so much about the overworked "modern mum". One would think that they would appreciate one fewer job.

The financial issue should not be dismissed so casually by parents who doubtless would be the first to start squealing if underfunding restricted their children's activities in other areas.

I feel for the overworked teachers who are burdened further by unnecessary baggage. I envisage the day when compensation culture will rear its ugly head after somebody falls over these wretched lunch boxes.

Nancy Shields, Moore Avenue, Wibsey.

Sir - It is a pity that your reporters did not take the trouble to read Mrs Binns's letter to parents regarding problems with space and storage for packed lunches (T&A, July 9).

If they had done so they would have realised that it was entirely reasonable, that there was no question of a diktat and that the anger they described was entirely synthetic.

All schools welcome and value the support of PTAs, but they do not represent all parents and have no right to consultation - least of all about a request. When schools do attempt to engage intelligently with parents about practical issues, it surely ill-behoves the local paper to misrepresent what is happening in such superficial terms.

It might be more useful for you to investigate the whole issue of Bradford schools' lunchtime facitilities in the context of what is supposed to be - or aspires to be - 21st century provision. Certainly, it would lead to more substantial - and relevant - copy.

Ian Roberts, Old Langley Lane, Baildon.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Our reporters did, of course, take the trouble to read Mrs Binns's letter, which was drawn to our attention by several concerned parents. Our report represented their views and was balanced by comments from Mrs Binns.

SIR - For the second Sunday running I have had the misfortune of being forced to walk on the road surface of Carlisle Road because the pavement outside Manningham Sports Centre has been fully occupied by parked cars. It's only a matter of time before a pushchair is crushed while on the road.

On both occasions when I have witnessed this illegal parking, police cars have passed either way and plainly a blind eye is being turned. Under which sections of the Road Traffic Acts are these miscreants being allowed to place a vehicle totally on the pavement without penalty?

To my mind this is another classic case of condoned lawlessness and falls into the same category as non-seat belt wearing and dubious number-plate lettering, both of which were also spotted in this 'car park'.

J Stolarczyk, Clayton Hall Road, Cross Hills.

SIR - I refer to the recent article in respect of Westfield Lane where residents have the temerity to object to motorists' legal use of it to avoid long queues at Five Lane Ends.

If it were made 'access only' are we to assume that those motorists with access will drive any differently from all others? I think not.

Let the motorists who do have access and the residents pay for the upkeep of the road if it is made access-only or pay for the traffic-calming measures.

Motorists pay billions in road tax, plus fuel tax and insurance premiums to be allowed to drive on the public highways of which Westfield Lane is one.

Hall Lane in Windhill was made access-only many years ago.

If Hall Lane were open, motorists would be able to gain access to Carr Lane to which there is none currently from the main road, which runs parallel to Hall Lane, because of road works.

Hall Lane's availability would have eased the traffic flow into Shipley and avoided a very lengthy diversion. Planners have no foresight so please don't put barriers up on Westfield Lane.

Motorists using Westfield Lane should reduce speed on it, though.

P E Bird, Nab Wood Terrace, Shipley.

SIR - I read in the T&A that the public will have to pay for the tip at Cullingworth to be capped and renovated.

Why? Where is the money the Council got from hauliers and tipper wagons for landfill? These people will have paid thousands of pounds to tip, so why can't the Council use this money to pay for the tip being renovated?

Lilian Judson, Knowles Street, Denholme.

SIR - On Wednesday, July 2, my daughter-in-law was travelling home from work on her motor scooter in a dreadful rain storm when she had an accident on Canal Road.

Fortunately the bus behind her stopped and several people got off to help her. To these people we say thank you, especially the lady from Shipley whose name and address we never got.

She stayed on the scene until we arrived there and her only concern was to get our daughter-in-law to hospital. She wouldn't let us take her home and said that another bus would be along. To her we say a special thank you.

J Simpson, Toller Lane, Heaton.

SIR - My wife and I went to the Alhambra to watch an afternoon performance of Cats. It was absolutely out of this world. I have seen Russian Cossacks in full swing, but their dancing was in no way better than this performance.

The singing was delightful. Dramatic acting when the plot required was spot-on.

Congratulations Cats!

Jack Mawson, Grove House Crescent, Bradford 2.

SIR - No parent would willingly put their child's life at risk, so may I ask them to think for a moment about the dangers faced by youngsters who decide to play in quarries during the long summer holidays.

Quarries can look like fun places to swim, climb, dig or ride but they carry a variety of unseen hazards. Sadly, children have drowned in deep cold lakes, been buried while digging a cave in the sand, or seriously hurt when struck by a falling rock.

Now there is a growing problem with teenage motorcyclists who seem to believe that quarries are the perfect places in which to ride. They don't consider the possibility of a heavy vehicle emerging from round a blind corner, or the consequences if they lie injured for hours with no help at hand.

Companies in membership of the Quarry Products Association are happy to host school parties so that children remain safe. Schools wishing to organise such visits or to receive a copy of our "Play Safe, Stay Safe" resource pack can call me on 0207 730 8194 or email me at clements@qpa.org.

But in the meantime, will parents please check where their children are playing this summer and make sure it is not in a quarry?

Elizabeth Clements, Quarry Products Association, Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1.