TEACHERS, parents and pupils marched side-by-side through Manchester city centre to protest against plans to close their school.
More than 200 attended the march to campaign over controversial plans to shut St George's RC High in Walkden, near Salford.
The spirited march - policed by officers on motorcycles - began at All Saints Park off Oxford Road and wound its way down to Deansgate and into Castlefield.
Protesters held aloft flags of St George and banners and chanted non-stop as passers-by stopped to watch. Traffic was held up.
The school is facing closure on the recommendation of Salford council and the Salford diocese due to a huge high school rebuilding programme across the city.
But head teacher Phil Harte, who led the march from the front, revealed that a legal challenge would be mounted against the closure recommendation.
Under the plans, pupils from St George's and St Ambrose Barlow High in Swinton would move to a new school on land at Wardley. It would bear the St Ambrose name.
Today's march was the second to be held under the campaign to keep the school open. It was held in Manchester to avoid demonstration charges after the council billed the school for more than £1,000 the last time protestors took to the streets in Salford.
Budget
School bosses refused to pay - but the sum was deducted from its budget.
Mr Harte said: "Salford has put a closure notice on the school but we are going to launch a legal challenge over it. Salford council is being insistent on closing a school that is over-subscribed and very successful. We will submit a legal application against the closure notice."
His views were backed by angry pupils and parents. Pupil David Ward, 13, from Walkden, was one of a number to join the march.
He said: "We do not want it to close and we will lose most of our friends. We all thought it was important to come down here today to show our support for the whole school."
His mother Janine Ward, 37, an office manager from Walkden, said: "It will be devastating for the community. It is a fantastic school that gets good results. The impact that this is going to have on the community and education is going to be huge. We would all urge the council to think again."
The council has taken its decision in order to secure government funding of £182m to build a total of three new high schools for the area.
Council chiefs have already earmarked the school's land for housing despite the protest.
Mr Harte however said a legal challenge would be mounted later this year.
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Showing comments 1 to 10 and replies | View All
Mark,Radcliffe. (28/03/2009 at 14:18)
JEFF NIXON (28/03/2009 at 18:10)
John- still Sheikhin' all over (28/03/2009 at 20:04)
shame on Salford, they may be from over the river but at least Manchester did not charge their people for the right to protest.
and the GMP cover both Cities, so why did the Police charge for Salford but not for Manchester ??
oh, the GMP never charged, it was the council charging for needing to close a couple of roads and put cones out.
some councils will use any method they have to stop local people protesting against their policies.
labour, Socialist and proud,
do me a favour.
St George's is an old and famous school.
and whether you agree or not with schools merging and the building of new schools, people should have the right to disagree without financial penality.
Mark, South Manchester (29/03/2009 at 10:18)
The selling of schools & their coveted playing fields - is the "main reason" behind all these mergers, don't let councils tell you otherwise. Welcome to the concrete jungle!
QUOTE; "It was held in Manchester to avoid demonstration charges after the council billed the school for more than £1,000 the last time protesters took to the streets in Salford.
School bosses refused to pay - but the sum was deducted from its budget."
To deprive children of education funds, simply because they protested against a council decision - is beyond despicable. A vile, vindictive action that is more reminiscent of Nicolae Ceausescu's Romania - than present day Salford. No wonder the British people are getting more & more ANGRY!
Voter (29/03/2009 at 17:11)
Knowall, stretford end (30/03/2009 at 14:58)
Bernardette Duggan, Salford (30/03/2009 at 18:14)
Doobydoo, Worsley (31/03/2009 at 15:00)
Salford Council are behaving in an outrageous manner in continuing with their plan to close this school. My children do not attend this school however they do have friends who do and this is having a destabilising effect for the school community.
On one hand the pupils and parents on current students are unsure of what is going tohappen with regard to their education whilst at the same time potential future pupils and parents do not know where to opt for when choosing a school for their children.
I believe that all past and current pupils are a credit to the staff and their parents at St Georges. They are exercising their democratic right to question what is an unfair decision. This matter should now be taken out of the hands of the local coucil and questions be raised with not just the M.P. who covers the area but ALL local M.P's should be asked for their their opinion.
The proposed site of the new school is on the old Wardley High School site. This school then became a college and then closed and demolished. Salford Council just make up the rules as they go ahead. There has not been a full consultation with regard to the closing of St Georges or the proposal to build a new school for Walkden High on a site which has not been given the go ahead.
I hope that the voters of Salford use their votes wisely in May and oust this current council to ensure that the future of Salford receives the standard of education that they deserve.
Debbie Williams (09/04/2009 at 16:15)
KEEP ON FIGHTING .
THESE COUNCILS HAVE GOT TO STOP CLOSING THESE SCHOOLS.
FROM ALL AT EWING SCHOOL.
Higgs Boson, Manchester (09/04/2009 at 16:50)
Manchester council and all other councils in the entire country charge for temporary road closures whether it be for a development or a whit walk. I can only guess that in this case Manchester Council thought it would be a hot potato to do so.