Parents win school battle (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Parents win school battle

BATTLING parents have won their fight to keep Birdlip School open. The threat of closure hanging over the primary school was lifted this week after the Gloucester Area Review Panel published its findings.

Teachers and parents had feared the school would be axed under new proposals to counter falling pupil numbers across the county.

But now the county council has been advised to exclude the top-performing school from the current review process.

Instead it will be reviewed with neighbouring rural schools next year. Parent Nicky Gordon, who has two sons at the school, said: "It is such a relief that it is been thrown out at this stage.

"The threat of closure was very upsetting and on the children's minds - a lot of people said there was never any danger in them closing the school, but it was a real possibility. We feel we made a noise about it and made them think again."

The review of primary education was set up in May because 2,500 fewer pupils are in county primary schools than five years ago.

There are currently 4,800 surplus places, which is estimated to double by 2011.

However, Birdlip School is actually oversubscribed and was only being considered for closure because many of its pupils do not live in the village.

Campaigners also said the school was successful and would benefit from financial investment rather than closure.

Neighbouring Brockworth School, which was also under threat, will have its pupil intake reduced, while all schools in the area are to be involved in planning arrangements for a new school and housing on the Gloucester Business Park site.

School governor Charles Turner said: "The recommendations are in line with the case presented by the school and we are delighted that the panel has listened to us and has rejected the closure option that was being floated.

"We had great support from the villagers and nearby rural communities and we are particularly delighted all the teachers and staff have a securer future to look forward to, at a school to which they have shown great commitment and loyalty."

Chairman of the Gloucester Review Panel Mike Cogger said: "We have listened to the views of headteachers, school governors, parents and other interested parties and I hope they will agree that the recommendations, if approved, will ensure a healthy and vibrant education system for Gloucester in the long term.

"It is now up to GCC to decide whether to make these into formal proposals."

Birdlip achieved one of the county's highest scores in the school league tables, published this week.