Bradford council has hit back at fierce criticism from Keighley's Oakbank School over its education shake-up.

Head-teacher John Roberts has been told his statement in last week's Keighley News that the town is facing a lack of school places is 'unrealistic'.

Our story last week centred on the angry reaction of Oakbank governors to Bradford council's plans to turn the school into a secondary school and to reduce its pupil capacity from 1,500 to 1,350 plus post-16 provision. The change of status forms part of the council's massive education move from a three-tier system to a primary-secondary model. Oakbank head-teacher John Roberts believes there will not be enough secondary school places in Keighley, resulting in many children having to be bussed out to schools in other areas. Oakbank wants to take on the nearby Bront Middle School buildings as a split-site school. But Bradford has decided to close Bront and build a new secondary school at Cullingworth instead.

Now Oakbank is going direct to the Government with its own proposals, with Bradford council doing the same. A decision is expected in the New Year.

The Oakbank governors also accused Bradford council of failing to explain its policies properly and not answering key questions.

But Cllr Susanne Rooney, deputy chairman of education at Bradford, hit back this week. She says the council review team has answered 'thousands of queries' and 'visited Oakbank a number of times'.

Her statement is published below.

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