Letter: Many concerns on future of Cragg Vale School

That, the staff and governors at Calder High School think that a through school education is a good idea, without consulting their current cohort or the parents of present and future pupils. That, Calderdale Council seems to be pushing this ‘consultation’ quietly through and not including the wider community that this proposal is going to affect. That, with Calderdale still in control of all admissions, all our local schools may lose pupils and could well be forced in to making difficult decisions.

That, using their own figures, Calderdale council have shown that by 2020, there will be in excess of 500 empty school places within the local catchment. That, Calderdale are spending money given for one institution, on improving facilities at another, in the knowledge that it cannot open any more new schools itself.

That, every school and academy in this area, not just Mytholmroyd, is at risk from this proposed ‘super school’. That, Calder High governors cannot be certain that, as has happened in Todmorden, they too will lose their sixth form provision, in a bid to further bolster the attendance at Calderdale College, making a mockery of the whole ‘through-school’ idea.

That, residents local to Calder High have not been specifically invited to see the impact that more buses and parent’s vehicles will have on their neighbourhood. That somebody in Calderdale is pushing through an idea that will make a name for themselves and get them noticed at the cost to our children’s education. That this is a ‘done deal’, and Calderdale do not care about our thoughts or concerns over our children’s education.

There are too many uncertainties in this current proposal, but they all lead to one disastrous conclusion for primary education in Mytholmroyd, Cragg Vale, Luddenden Foot, Hebden Bridge, Midgley, Old Town, Colden and further afield.

If you have a child attending, or about to attend, any school or nursery around here then I implore you to visit the feedback form at http://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/sites/default/files/cragg-vale-consultation-form.pdf and please voice your concerns. The closing date for consultation forms is Friday December 9, with some poor soul at Calderdale having to spend their whole weekend compiling a report to be sent to councillors for consideration at cabinet on Monday the 12th.

Karl Boggis, Hebden Royd Town Councillor