The most crucial consultation exercise ever undertaken in Bradford on the running of the district's schools has attracted more than 18,000 responses.

The final postbags have yet to be counted but a further 2,000 replies are expected on the schools' review, which will lead to a radical shake-up of the education system in Bradford.

This will account for a quarter of the 80,000 questionnaires distributed earlier this year which asked parents and teachers to have their say on the future of the school set-up in Bradford until at least the second quarter of the next century.

It is now four weeks to the day before Bradford Council's education committee decides how schools will be run when it meets on March 24.

Councillors will be faced with two choices - either slim down the present system of first, middle and upper schools or abandon middle schools in favour of primary and secondary schools.

Either choice will lead to school closures while others expand. Schools earmarked for closure will be named shortly after the decision in March.

The review questionnaire asked parents to state a preference on which system they would prefer. Education chairman Jim Flood said: "The response we have had shows that parents are aware of the review and its consequences and they are keen to have their say. Of course, we welcome that.

"But it is not a plebiscite or a ballot. The views of parents, teachers, governors and others will be weighed together with the evidence and research that has been gathered by the review team over the past six months."

The review has already been the source of much controversy.

At the beginning of the month, Gilstead Middle headteacher Peter Sumpter was criticised heavily when he sent out the questionnaires with an attached letter from himself telling parents exactly how to vote if they wanted to save the school from closure.

The deadline for the return of questionnaires was last Friday but comments can be made in writing to the review team at Flockton House up until March 15.

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