Governors at an historic Bradford school have rejected plans to rename it after its most famous pupil - writer JB Priestley - after some other old boys objected.

The proposal to rename Belle Vue Boys School the JB Priestley School would have overturned 110 years of tradition.

Supporters felt the new name would reflect the changing nature of Belle Vue Boys School which will expand as part of the Bradford-wide schools shake-up in September 2000.

But others said it was a shame to ditch the name that was once a byword for high quality grammar school education in Bradford.

Ten of the 15 members of the school governing body discussed the issue last night. David Jennings, governors chairman, said: "Lots of views were taken into account, including the Old Boys' Association, staff, and the neighbouring girls school and we have decided to look further at the idea.

"There was a bit of concern that, as the nature of the school had changed, the name JB Priestley would be looking back to what the school was, rather than forward.''

Headteacher Bruce Berry added: "The governors will consider changing the name, but they want more research and more ideas to be put forward.''

JB Priestley, whose own father taught at Belle Vue Boys, left the school at 16 with few academic qualifications and went on to work in a wool office before embarking on his literary career.

In its heyday, Belle Vue Boys School was a byword for academic success. But last year, 13 per cent of students attained grade A*-C at GCSE, against a national average of 46.3 per cent.

Old boy Marsha Singh, MP for Bradford West, said today: "It will always be Belle Vue Boys School to me, but I would be happy to honour one of our famous sons."

Mike Priestley, president of the Belle Vue Association, and a T&A columnist, said he could appreciate the desire to shake off negative aspects of the school's more recent past.

"But it does seem a pity to discard a once-proud school name as though it was something to be ashamed of. I'm very proud that I was a pupil at Belle Vue.''

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