Morecambe and Lunesdale’s would-be Conservative MP, David Morris, has condemned the proposed closures of Hornby and Skerton High Schools citing a new report which claims school children are suffering from deep anxiety due to the pressures of the ‘modern world’.

David argues that “any additional stress on local children caused by the uncertainty surrounding these schools could affect their emotional wellbeing.”

Researchers from the Cambridge based ‘Primary Review’ ran 87 discussions with groups of children, parents, teachers and others; 750 people took part.

A spokesman from the National Children’s Homes charity said “the findings of this report are a wake-up call to the Labour Government… “We know from our own research the increasing importance of emotional wellbeing in childhood in determining life chances and later social mobility.”

After a failed bid to merge Hornby and Skerton High Schools with Central Lancaster High School, to create a new academy school, Lancashire County Council is considering the closure of Hornby and Skerton High. The consultation closes at the end of the year.

It is thought that if the schools close, the Labour County Council will attempt to send the Hornby and Skerton pupils to Central Lancaster High.

David said: “Lancashire County Council’s decision to even consider closing these two popular schools is simply wrong. This new report by Primary Review adds to the case of why trying to close these schools is wide of the mark. The legacy of this current County Council could be one of adding a lot of stress to some very vulnerable school children.”

“I can assure all parents of pupils’ currently at Hornby and Skerton that I will be actively supporting them in their campaign to keep these schools open and available for local children.”

The Labour-run County Council has just announced that it will be consulting on closing Skerton High School, Hornby High School and Central Lancaster High School.

Labour has proposed a policy that would see these three schools closed, in favour of a new 900-place Academy. It is expected that the Academy, due to open in September 2008, will be on the site of Central Lancaster High School.

At a public meeting on Monday, 18th June, the Labour Cabinet member explained that that any parent selecting one of these schools for 2008, will be deemed to be applying for the Academy.

So much for a consultation then. Labour have already made their mind up, whilst treating parents, children and teachers in a most appalling way. This is no way to help improve standards in our schools.

Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, David Morris, has called for an extension to the consultation process, and some commitment that the results will be listened to and not just ignored.

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This news item was originally published in June 2007, but was added to our website on the date shown above.