BRAYS GROVE SCHOOL TO CLOSE

July 2006

Essex's School Organisation Committee met on Wednesday 12 July and voted to close Brays Grove School.

"This is a deep disappointment for the school, for local residents, and for the community of Harlow as a whole. It's a sorry day which will do great damage to the educational prospects of our town, and impair our ability to achieve the regeneration Harlow needs."

Cllr Chris Millington, Harlow Liberal Democrats leader

"The accuracy of the predictions of future pupil numbers used by the county council has been challenged. At a time when even more housing is being forced within Harlow's boundaries and to the south and east of the town, it flies in the face of reason to close the only school in the south east of Harlow. This decision will reduce parent and pupil choice, put pressure on the other secondary schools in the town, and disrupt working partnerships that have taken years to build."

Cllr Lorna Spenceley, Harlow Liberal Democrats parliamentary spokesman

School Organisation Committee meeting 12 July

June 2006

Essex's School Organisation Committee will meet on Wednesday 12 July to consider objections from Harlow Liberal Democrats and others to the proposal to close Brays Grove School. If the Committee does not agree unanimously to close the school, then the matter must be referred to the Schools Adjudicator.

Liberal Democrats lodge objection to closure of Brays Grove

June 2006

Harlow's Liberal Democrats have submitted objections (PDF) to the proposed closure of Brays Grove School. They have also submitted a petition with signatures from local residents opposed to the plan by Conservative-controlled Essex County Council to close Brays Grove. Thank you to everyone who signed.

Liberal Democrats launch Brays Grove School campaign

April 2006

Harlow's Liberal Democrats have launched a petition to stop the closure of Brays Grove School. The petition will be presented to the School Organisation Committee, which is the body that will consider objections to Conservative-run Essex County Council's plans to close the school. Once Essex County Council publishes its 'statutory notice' to close the school, local residents will have six weeks to put their objections in writing to the County Council.

You can sign the petion online - and get other people to sign too. Download the petition form (PDF) and collect signatures locally.

Brays Grove School: Liberal Democrats publish response

March 2006

Liberal Democrats in Harlow have published their response to Essex County Council's proposal to close Brays Grove School. Local Liberal Democrats have said they oppose the closure of any secondary school in Harlow; and have also raised questions about the alternative proposal to move Passmores School onto the Brays Grove site.

Harlow's Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman Lorna Spenceley said:

"Harlow Liberal Democrats oppose Conservative plans to close Brays Grove School - but the Labour MP's proposal to close Brays Grove and move Passmores School onto the Brays Grove site raises as many questions as it answers. Liberal Democrats in Harlow believe that all the town's current secondary schools in Harlow should remain open."

Liberal Democrats oppose Brays Grove School closure

February 2006

"Harlow Liberal Democrats believe that no secondary school in Harlow should close. Educational attainment is a key issue for Harlow. Shared and collaborative multi-agency solutions should be sought. Essex County Council should lift the threat hanging over Brays Grove School, and seek to engage its strategic local partners in discussions about the best way forward for secondary education in Harlow."

PETITION: CLOSURE OF BRAYS GROVE SCHOOL

Sign the petition here!

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