Rally seeks community support in drive for parent-run school

The Birkenshaw, Birstall and Gomersal Parents' Alliance wants to open its own 900-place secondary because of fears that a shake-up of the schools will force children to travel out of the area to get an education.

They say plans to switch education from a three-tier to a two-tier system in North Kirklees will leave the communities of Birkenshaw, Birstall, East Bierley and Gomersal without a school.

Instead children would have to travel 45 minutes to either an enlarged Whitcliffe Mount, in Cleckheaton, or a new 1,350-pupil school at Howden Clough, Batley.

A group of parents formed the alliance and are campaigning to be allowed to open their own stare-funded secondary school.

Last month they had a bid to open a new school rejected by Schools Secretary Ed Balls.

The Normanton MP told parents an independent report had warned it could lead to neighbouring schools having surplus places and falling funding.

However the BBGPA, which is made up of a steering group of nine parents, believe their plans could be successful if a Tory government is elected.

Tory Shadow Children's Secretary Michael Gove has said he wants to make it easier for parents, charities and co-operatives to open up their own state funded schools if they are unhappy with the local education authority schools on offer.

Under the Tory plans, which are based on education reforms in Sweden, parent-run schools would have the same freedoms as academies – operating outside council control and able to set their own curriculum, timetable and admissions arrangements.

The Yorkshire Post revealed earlier this week that there are 25 parents groups across the region which are considering applying to set up their own school.

The BBGPA's rally is to take place on Sunday from noon at Birkenshaw Middle School where the group plan to base their new school.

Lesley Surman, of BBGPA, said: "This is our last chance, before the General Election, to prove to the nation that a whole community supports plans for a high school in Birkenshaw to serve the children of Birkenshaw, Birstall, East Bierley and Gomersal for many years to come.

"There is now much interest in our situation, both locally and nationally, that this demonstration is destined to be bigger and better than any events we have held in the past."

People attending the rally will be asked to put messages of support on a wall of fame before campaigners take part in a march to raise awareness of their plans.

There will also be entertainment and attractions.

The BBGPA told the Yorkshire Post earlier this week that they were "100 per cent" confident there was enough support in the local community to fill a 900 place secondary school.

Their plans have been put together in partnership with Serco, the company behind Education Bradford, which currently runs Bradford's education authority.

Since forming their campaign the group has met with Mr Gove and education charity the New Schools Network, which was set up last year to help parents establish their own schools.

It is dealing with 350 separate parents groups around the country but the BBGPA hopes to be the first in the country to open under the Tory's free school policy model.

According to the New Schools Network there are also parents or teachers interested in opening their own schools in both Bradford and Huddersfield.