MP Shahid Malik has said he is deeply troubled by proposals put forward by Kirklees Council which he has described 'ill-thought through and deeply flawed'. The plans, which were released by Kirklees earlier this month, would see Mirfield's Castle Hall School and the sixth form at St John Fisher, Dewsbury, closed.

Mr Malik has pledged his support to staff, students and parents and has this week written to parents at both schools.

"I am not in the business of standing by while good schools which are supported by the local community are condemned in this way. Some 66% of children at Castle Hall attain five good GCSEs setting an extremely high standard and producing some of the best results anywhere in Kirklees for a comprehensive school. Similarly, the performance of the excellent sixth form at St John Fisher's exceeds the national and district average."

"The current proposals put forward by Kirklees Council are, I believe, ill-judged, ill-thought through and deeply flawed. Not only do the proposals fail to provide a new 6th form centre that Dewsbury desperately needs, with some 1300 young people having to commute daily to Huddersfield from Dewsbury, but perversely they would also take away from the town the only 6th form provision that does exist. It is a scandal but sadly typical of the treatment that Kirklees Council seems to dish out to Dewsbury on a regular basis."

"I am in favour of change, we need change to continue improving our schools and offering our children the best start in life, but I will not stand by when change needlessly threatens the future of a good school and a much valued 6th form facility."

"I want the staff, governors, students and parents at both schools to know they are not alone and I want Kirklees Council to understand that they have gone too far. We will not become a second class town to Huddersfield - a storm is brewing and the Council should prepare itself because it has an almighty fight on its hands."

http://www.shahidmalikmp.org/News/MP-warns-Kirklees-of-almighty