Save Our School

Campaign to Stop the Closure of

Mixenden Primary School Ends

From the Halifax Courier (dated 9th November 2004) ~ Parents have abandoned their High Court battle to prevent the closure of Mixenden Community Primary School. They had been granted legal aid and were due to put their case before a judge on Friday but have now been advised that their case was not strong enough. A legal expert told them that if they lost their case, they could incur huge costs.

Full story here.

[Open Letter from Calderdale NUT]

Dear All,

We need your urgent support immediately.

At 9.00 am on Monday 23rd February the NUT was informed by the Group Director Schools and Children's Services that Mixenden Primary School was likely to close.

The school was inspected by HMI in November - because of its SATS results - following the inspection the school was placed in Special Measures just before Christmas. We have been closely involved in supporting the school, we were shocked to hear that the LEA was considering closure before the school had a chance to implement its own Action Plan.

The LEA are looking at fast track closure - Cabinet meet this Monday March 1st, Council meet Wednesday March 3rd to ratify this decision.

Consultation will then begin with closure at the end of the Summer Term 2004.

If this school closes 175 children will be displaced as there are not sufficient places in other local primary schools.

From the Halifax Courier (dated 24th February 2004)

ANGRY parents have demanded to know what will happen to their children if their school is shut down. Calderdale Council's cabinet will hold private talks on March 1 to consider Government recommendations to close the failing Mixenden Community Primary School, Halifax.

The shock proposals follow the school being put into special measures for a second time after an inspection by the Office for Standards in Education.

Governors held a meeting yesterday at the school, which has 165 pupils including 68 with special educational needs.

Parent Tracy Douglas, of Balkram Drive, Mixenden, whose children Lauren Reeve, nine, and Aiden, seven, said she was worried where the pupils would go. "They are not going to put them all down at Ash Green Primary School because it is nearly full," she said.

"Being a single parent, having to take them out of Mixenden is an expense I could do without."

Another parent, who did not want to be named, said: "It is squarely on the local education authority's shoulders. They have a duty to provide every child with a decent education and they are failing - pure and simple. If they close the school down I will be one of the first to take them to the courts because they have failed my child."

Carolanne Mayhew, of Hambleton Drive, Mixenden, who has three children at the school - Michael, 10, Shelby nine, and Aaron, five, said she would prefer it if the school was restaffed rather than closed.

Tina Jones, of Hunter Hill Road, Mixenden, said finding an alternative school for her eight-year-old daughter Freya would be difficult because she had special educational needs.

Gail Greier, of Clough Lane, Mixenden, whose seven-year-old daughter Sivannette is a pupil at the school, said: "I think it is disgraceful. Where are the children going to be transferred to?"

She said her sister Lorraine Palmer was a dinner lady at the school and faced losing her job.

Pauline Leach, whose grandson Thomas, four, goes to the school, said: "I think it is a shame. The teachers are very good. I can't understand it."

Chairman of governors Clem Rushworth, who was drafted in after the school was first put into special measures in 1997, said the announcement came as a blow. "The governing body is very saddened and shocked by the decision of the local education authority to be mindful to pursue the possibility of closing the school," said Mr Rushworth, a former senior education officer for Calderdale Council.

"And we are particularly saddened because of all the time and effort we know people have put into the school. Our primary concern is for the welfare and interests of all the children of this school. The governing body will work with the LEA to ensure that the best interests of the school and staff are protected."

He said governors would arrange to meet again next week to discuss the issue further. Calderdale divisional secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Sue McMahon, said: "I have met the whole staff and they are devastated, angry and very annoyed. They say it is a community school and it will break up the community."

About 30 jobs will be affected if the school has to close including teachers, assistants, catering, cleaning and administrative staff.

Latest figures show that there are about 30 spare places at Ash Green Primary School, which is less than half a mile away. There are more than 70 at Dean Field Primary, Ovenden, about a mile away, 25 at Bradshaw Primary about two miles away and 60 at Abbey Park Junior and Infant School, Illingworth, again about two miles away.