Michael Gove, Education Secretary of State, has asked the Birkenshaw free school group to reduce the size of the school to 650 and 750 as the maximum.

A school of 650 would have a yearly intake of a maximum 130 pupils. There are 100 pupils in each year group in Birkenshaw Middle. There is therefore only 30 or so places left for children in Birstall and Gomersal.

When the Free school group are touting for support outsuide school gates, they should tell parents that if they live in Gomersal they have a much lower chance of getting in to any free school (if it gets the go-ahead that is). Parents in Birstall need to be given the facts that the chances for them getting access to any such school are extremely low.

Yet, at the outset of this free school campaign, the plea from Conservative councillors was that children in Birstall did not have a school to go to in Kirklees. Birstall children are now the forgotten and ignored ones in this free school bid. Unless, of course, the free school application to Governement shows an admissions policy that gives priority to Birstall children.  I doubt it!