As pressure builds up in Ripon to scrap the 11-plus selective education system, there is no sign of unrest in Skipton.

North Yorkshire County Council's admission department has had no requests for ballots to introduce comprehensive education from parents in junior feeder schools in Craven.

Education Minister David Blunkett has introduced new regulations allowing pro-comprehensive campaigners to achieve their objective if they can secure 20 per cent of eligible parents on local petitions.

There are only 166 selective grammar schools left in the country, two of them in Skipton - Ermysted's Grammar School for boys and Skipton Girls' High School. Both have been consistently among the top academic achievers in the country, the boys' school having snatched the top A level league place two years ago.

Roger Whitaker, chairman of governors at Ermysted's, has defended the selective system in Craven and said any change would destroy the fine academic record achieved by all schools in the area.

"There would be no benefit in changing and the view of the governors at Ermysted's is that change for change's sake is a nonsense."

Councillor Robert Heseltine, vice chairman of North Yorkshire County Council education committee, said Craven parents had a choice of four excellent schools - the two grammar schools, Aireville secondary in Skipton and Threshfield-based Wharfedale school.

Colin Reeder, chairman of Skipton Girls' High School said the issue of the new regulations was due to be discussed at a meeting of governors last night.

He said: "We have discussed the issue in the past and there is clear agreement that the existing system serves the children very well.''

He said there was also opportunity for pupils at Aireville and Wharfedale to join the sixth forms at Ermysted's and Skipton Girls' High.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.