Campaigners open academy consultation after site plans alter

The proposals are for the school to then convert into a secondary free school in 2013 as parents join forces with the existing middle school staff.

Kirklees Council had planned to close the middle school and use the site to extend Birkenshaw First School into a primary.

This move appeared to scupper plans that parents had to use Birkenshaw Middle’s buildings for a free school that had already won Government backing.

However the original plan is now back on track after Birkenshaw Middle School chose to seek academy status meaning it would opt out of Kirklees Council control leaving the authority with no power to close it.

Education Secretary Michael Gove backed the original free school plan and signed an order approving Birkenshaw Middle’s conversion to academy status.

Final funding approval is expected later this year.

The parents group, including campaigner Lesley Surman, previously accused the Labour-run council of deliberately trying to block the free school plan with its plans for the site.

The Birkenshaw, Birstall and Gomersal Academy Trust and Birkenshaw Middle School have now announced a month-long consultation on plans for an academy and free school. This will start on Friday and end on March 31.

The free school would start with three year groups of as many as 150 expanding about 750 pupils once it has five full year groups.