Readers' Letters

If the new secondary schools improve the quality of education and are successful, as we hope, they will persuade more pupils to stay after 16 and reduce the numbers going to North Yorkshire or Bradford for their schooling. (The current plan assumes that half the 11 year olds will go to schools in Bradford or North York-shire). However the secondary schools envisaged are two enormous schools of over 1500 pupils. Success would make them even bigger and less manageable.

Would it not be better to convert a closing middle school to an 11 to 18 school and reduce the size of the other two secondary schools? This would be more flexible and keep the schools to a human size.

CHRIS BROWN,

Sawood Lane, Oxenhope.

SIR - The proposed closure of Oldfield School is totally unjustified. Rural life can throw hardship and isolation onto its sparse residents, but Oldfield School is of benefit to all, young and old, it is the backbone of the community.

Mrs Redpath and her staff are dedicated and totally committed to their school. They provide care, love and support to all of their pupils, who all thrive on the quality education the school has to offer.

My son attends the pre-school group. He lives for Tuesday mornings, and adores the staff and his classmates. He is relying on Oldfield School for his education. How can anyone think of taking it away from him? There is no way I could ever tell my son he could no longer go to Oldfield School; it would break his heart. This school is needed by everyone. By all means inject cash into it, but do not close it.

L DARNBROUGH,

Pickles Hill, Oakworth.

SIR - I note once more that Keighley MP Ann Cryer is crying 'crocodile tears' and reacting after the event, as she did with the Unitary Development Process. She says she is in favour of Bradford Labour council's change to the two tier education system. So be it, maybe there are arguments in favour and against. However that is in an ideal world with unlimited budgets for conversion.

This exercise has been ill thought out, lacks financial credibility and from a consultation process is discredited. It was obvious from the beginning that two tier meant closure of schools. Mrs Cryer must have known that it was inevitable that either Stanbury or Oldfield Schools were under threat.

By supporting the two tier system, Mrs Cryer supported closure of approximately 12 schools in Keighley constituency.

CLLR ANNE

HAWKESWORTH,

Conservative spokesman

for Keighley Area Panel.

SIR - After giving the matter of the schools' closures much thought, I felt I must write and reply. My concerns are this:

1 If the middle schools are to close and the primary schools keep the children for two more years and then the grammar schools accept their new intake two years earlier, where are these schools going to put the extra children? My own son will now not move to Hart-ington Middle at the age of nine, but stay on at Lees Primary until aged 11. Where are the classes for the extra pupils to be? Are they to build extensions? If so, where? Lees Primary school only has a small playground now. Is that to disappear altogether? Where is the money to come from to do this? How many middle schools could the council keep open with the money all this building will cost - no doubt Lees Primary is not alone. Or is the Labour council, who told us they are committed to smaller class sizes, just planning to increase class sizes?

2 Children moving to middle school have many benefits they never experienced in primary school, eg woodwork, metalwork, drama, cookery, biology, chemistry, physics, languages etc etc. Under the proposed new system the children are to lose these extra lessons until they progress to grammar school at the age of 11. Or is the council going to find extra money - money it tells us it hasn't got to keep the middle schools open - to provide these lessons in primary school. If so, we are back to the 'room' question once again.

3 One last thought - how come the council - who, remember are telling us they cannot afford to keep middle schools open any longer - could afford to send to every parent in the Bradford area a questionnaire, printed on very expensive paper, knowing full well that they would ignore the replies.

It seems to me that Ann Cryer and her Labour government so adamant about keeping small class sizes and keeping the small village school open, now have their own interests at heart, rather than the interests of our children. Perhaps she, and members of the present Labour council, should remember that we parents are also voters. If these new proposals go ahead, I for one will never vote for Labour again.

MRS S PARKER,

Sycamore View, Keighley.

SIR - In your editorial, the removal of magistrates' Court business at weekends to Bradford is reported to be 'the thin end of the wedge'. I believe the stake is already driven into the heart of local justice.

The first hammer blow came in 1995 when Bradford's planning committee showed amazing stupidity in rejecting plans and a £5m grant for a brand new Keighley courthouse. Their own planners had drawn up the plans after years of consultation with the Lord Chan-cellor's Department.

The second blow was struck shortly after this fiasco when the Tory government insisted the courthouse could only go ahead under a new private finance initiative. There were no takers; private firms must reckon that crime doesn't pay!

Blow number three came early last year when deterioration of the Keighley court building forced most of its cases into the Bingley Courts.

Another blow followed last summer when the bulk of the area's court administration was quietly moved from Bingley to Bradford. There appears to be a concerted effort to abolish the Keighley division and centralise it on Bradford. Apart from Keighley MP Mrs Cryer, no other local politician appears to give a damn whether the Keighley justice system rots in hell or not.

Having to travel to Bradford will increase costs for Police and legal representatives, to defendants - many already suffering from difficult personal circumstances - and to the general public who will have to pick up the tab for extra costs.

Finally, a suggestion to Mr Chandler, Clerk to the Justices: Buses leave Bradford Inter-change for Bingley every 10 minutes. I'm sure for the price of a bus fare, one of the Bradford clerks can find their way to Bingley Court in time for the Saturday session.

ANTHONY WRIGHT,

Secretary, Aire-Worth

Reform Association.

SIR - I understand John Smith formerly with Steeton Male Voice Choir, has returned to the musical fold. His contribution has been missed over the past few years and it will be a pleasure to see the return of his musicianship and personality. He brought to his choir that special brand of musical magic that is so rare and I for one will be hoping this will be heard once again with his new group, Airedale Male Voice Choir,

BRIAN EDWARDS,

Bingley Road, Eldwick.

Gay switchboard

SIR - With reference to the article regarding the closure of OUTline, there are other services available. Bradford Les-bian and Gay Switchboard has been serving the region for 15 years (01274 722206 - Tu,Th,F,S - 1930-2130) and Bradford Friend for 25 years (01274 723802 - M,W - 1830-2045). Lesbians can call 01274 305525 (Th - 1900-2100) or 0113 2453588 (Tu - 1930-2130).

BRIAN, Lesbian & Gay

Switchboard.

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