Shropshire school cuts fightback begins

The fight has begun to save nine Shropshire schools from closure with angry parents organising petitions and planning protests.

Some schools have launched Facebook campaigns and others have vowed to start petitions and do whatever it takes to prevent closures.

Shropshire Council has announced plans to axe nine schools in a bid to tackle falling pupil numbers and funding shortages.

It proposes to reduce overall capacity by closing the Wakeman School & Arts College in Shrewsbury and the village schools at Barrow, Hopton Wafers, Onny (Onibury), Maesbury, Stiperstones and Lydbury North.

At St Martins near Oswestry, Ifton Heath Primary would combine with Rhyn Park School, which has arts college status, to create an "all through" school on the Rhyn Park site. At Shawbury it is proposed to combine Shawbury Primary and St Mary's on the Shawbury Primary site.

Wakeman parents will meet tomorrow evening to discuss what action can be taken.

Two Facebook campaigns have been launched by supporters and more than 200 people have signed up to them.

At Maesbury School, near Oswestry, parents are picking up their placards again for the second time in three years.

Alison Arrowsmith, a teaching assistant at the school where her three children are also pupils, said: "I was here fighting against the proposals last time and we were assured Maesbury Primary School would never close. But now they have gone back on their word. The parents have banded together to keep the school open and there is a petition started already."

At Stiperstones, near Shrewsbury, parents claim a closure would "kill" their community. Mother Joanne Elmes said many parents would fight to save the school.

Outraged parents at Onny School say they will organise a group protest at next week's cabinet meeting and set up a petition against closure.

In Shawbury, parents have also vowed to fight the closure plan.

By Education Correspondent Dave Morris