At 1600hrs On Tuesday 12th January 2010 The School Adjudicator Decided To Reject Kirklees MC's Plan To Close Castle Hall School And To Expand The MFG.

Click here or go over to our publications sections to see the full adjudicators report. Alternatively you can find the report on the office of the Schools Adjudicators Website.

Kiklees Council have published a press release entitled Schools Adjudicator decision you can read that over at http://www2.kirklees.gov.uk/news/onlinenews/newsdesk/fullstory.aspx?id=1890. Please remeber to leave a comment!

Listen to what was said on Steve Bailey's Radio Leeds show. The audio player will load under the story, please be patient as the audio player can take a few seconds to load. The audio player contains all our clippings in order of most resent, the appropriate clipping is entitled Adjudicators Decision On BBC Radio Leeds.

We followed what what was occurring on Tuesday with a live webchat you can see what was said by clicking here.

As always our brilliant local Media covered the story. See there articles here...
The Mirfield Reporter 12/01: Click Here
The Mirfield Reporter 15/01: Click Here
The Mirfield Reporter 15/01: Click Here
The Examiner 12/01: Click Here
The Examiner 13/01: Click Here
The Examiner 14/01: Click Here
The Press 15/01: Click Here
The Press 15/01: Click Here
The Press 15/01: Click Here
The Press 15/01: Click Here
The Press 15/01: Click Here
The Yorkshire Post 14/01: Click Here

Lastly a BIG thank you to EVERYONE that helped!

http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page20247

Downing Streets Response:

You have petitioned the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families not to sign any closure notice or proposal submitted by Kirklees Council with respect to Castle Hall School, Mirfield.

It may help if we first explain that school place planning is the statutory responsibility of the local authority, in this case Kirklees Council. Each local authority has a responsibility to ensure there are sufficient school places to meet the needs of their population and to promote high standards. The Building Schools for the Future Programme represents a unique opportunity for local authority’s to think strategically and reassess all secondary school provision in its area. This will allow local authority’s to make sure that a diverse range of good schools, that provide every pupil with access to a broad range of curriculum options, will be available in the right locations to meet the future needs of the local authority’s communities.

It is for the local authority to decide how best to address these issues. However, where plans involve changes to existing school provision the local authority must follow a statutory process, which is then decided under established local decision making arrangements. Ministers have no direct role in the process.

The process for making changes to existing schools involves five statutory stages: Consultation (with all interested parties); Publication (in a local newspaper, at the entrance to the school and in a conspicuous place in the area served by the school); Representations (allowing for comments and objections to be submitted); Decision (normally by the local authority); and Implementation (where the proposal is approved). There are also some rights of appeal to the independent schools adjudicator. More information on the decision making arrangements and guidance is available on the School Organisation Website at www.dcsf.gov.uk/schoolorg

We understand that following wide ranging consultations Kirklees Council intends to publish a statutory notice for the closure of Castle Hall School on 19 June. This will mark the beginning of the six week representation period which provides the opportunity to submit comments or objections. The decision maker (usually the local authority) must then consider these when reaching a final decision on whether or not to approve the proposals. As Castle Hall is a Foundation school the governing body will have a right of appeal to the schools adjudicator, if they do not agree with the decision maker’s decision.

We recognise that proposals to change local school provision can be upsetting and often unsettling for those involved, but we hope this response is helpful in explaining the process and how decisions are reached.