Keighley's middle schools could be scrapped as soon as September next year.

At a Bradford council education committee meeting next week, members look set to agree to change the current three-tier system to a two-tier structure of primary and secondary schools. In effect, this will mean closing middle schools. Proposals will also be laid out as to exactly which schools will close and which will be modified to fit in with the new system.

The move follows a huge schools review carried out by the council's education chiefs, in which nearly 50 per cent of parents and almost 60 per cent of teachers voted in favour of going two-tier.

In November the Keighley News predicted that middle schools would probably go, prompting a rush of fears from parents and teachers. In last week's Keighley News Mo Newman, head at Haworth First School, warned that school closures were inevitable.

There was a mixed response in Keighley, which is predominantly under the three-tier system. Local upper school heads were in favour of a two-tier structure and middle school heads preferred the three-tier system. many parents expressed fears over the proposed changes.

Labour-run Bradford's education chairman Jim Flood says: "A vast amount of work has been done. Now that we've got to this point a decision must be made - and made reasonably quickly - to keep everybody reassured about what's happening."

Cllr Dale Smith, the Conservatives' education spo-kesman, believes the whole issue of school standards needs to be looked at in the review, not just the middle schools.

Cllr Smith says: "The best interests of pupils, staff and parents deserve and demand a thoughtful and detailed appr-oach. We have only this one chance to improve standards.'

Meanwhile, Denholme first school head-teacher Mark Newman - Mrs Newman's husband - this week said he had seen no evidence that a change from a three-tier system to a two-tier arrangement would improve standards.

He told us: "I am not yet convinced about the benefits of changing from the present system to a two-tier primary and secondary school model. Although the LEA says it will lead to an improvement in standards I am still unsure if that will happen."

For first schools across the district the radical proposals would mean a change to primary-school status, or even the possible threat of closure. Mr Newman says: "The implications for this school will become clearer in a fortnight, but I think a change to primary school status is likely."

Between 50 and 70 school closures are expected and plans to build a number of new schools will also be included in the proposals.

The future structure of all schools will be finally decided at next week's meeting and two weeks after that, Bradford's education committee will consider proposals for individual school sites.

Pending approval from the council and the Secretary of State for Education, the two-tier system will be phased in from September 1999 over a two to three-year period.

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