Power to the people; the labour councillors at Salford City Council should see this as a warning that the people of Salford have had enough of the dictatorial style of governance of the labour group. Well done to the teaching staff, pupils and their parents and also to Barbara Keeley for her courage in supporting the efforts of the school to remain open.

Well done all those involved,totally vindicated...Will Salford Council be refunding,to the school's budget,the charge for the costs of the subsequent protests their actions created ?

Cracking news! Well done to all those who campaigned so well and so hard. I was there in the 80s and have nothing but happy memories of the place. A great school and a great result for everyone in the area.

Well done to the staff, pupils and parents. An excellent result.

Carry on the good work.

after pleas to the council's ruling cabinet were rejected....don't they mean 'IGNORED'.

Congratulations to everyone who stood their ground but its unbelievable that saving the school was down to just one man and his decision..the inspector.

I hope Merry and his men take note....myself and 500+ of my colleagues could be out of work in 18 months thanks to this dictatorship of a council with their hairbrained rules and regulations.
Looking forward to next May's elections....I am.....3 Labour strongholds lost last year to the Conservatives, lets hope Salford goe's the same way.

Great news for the teachers,kids and parents! If any of the councillors involved in the fight to close thisuperb school had any decency they would resign immediately!

Justice and Victory at long last!

Congratulations!

Good news for the school, its staff and pupils.

Devastating news for for the other three catholic schools, their staff and pupils.. but Mr Harte never cared about them did he?

Mr Harte has used and manipulated the press very well to his advantage. You can say fair play to the man but personally I think he has been very unprofessional and never managed to see the bigger picture.

Can't wait for Richard Carvath to comment...that will be pure gold!

Higgs... you sad, sad man.
Clearly no idea of where the picture is... Do you really think it would have been cakes and honey for the other 3 RC schools? Check your history books.
This is Victory indeed - for all RC schools!

Boson, you sad, sad man...
Did you really think it would have been cakes and honey for the other RC schools?...
Check your history books for the bigger picture (may be even a Bible)
This is indeed a victory for Catholics EVERYWHERE!

Well done all of you who supported St George's! This is a well-deserved, excellent outcome. God bless and have a wonderful celebration.

Delighted at this and congrats to all at the school. They have fought the bureaucrats in the Town Hall and at the RC diocese. Let the parents decide which school they want to send their children to not the faceless bean-counters.

Well done to all the staff, pupils and parents of St. George's. A fantastic outcome.

Regarding the comment about it being 'devastating' for the other 3 RC High Schools...I fail to see it. They still have a school, they still have teachers and pupils...nothing's changed. What WOULD have been 'devastating' is the closure of a successful, happy, oversubscribed school that is much needed in the community. The other schools should be delighted for St. George's.

Well done again...definitely a day for celebration.

I went to that school when Moon was Headmaster. It was in good condition when I last saw it , a few years ago. Why would they want to close it, only to build other schools when it was perfectly adequate.

If councilors had brains and ability, they'd be in the private sector. As they have neither, they're left to make sweeping decisions that affect generations. Sad and scary.

We couldn't have hoped for a better outcome to this 3 year long battle. I am saddened that the council has created a barrier between the Catholic schools in Salford, however, St George's has proved it deserves to stay open if not for their passion and community spirit, then for their outstanding Ofsted reports and improving grades every year. I applaud the staff, pupils and parents of the school, and I hope the community of Walkden and Little Hulton will be blessed with this exceptional school for many years to come. I have nothing to say to the council, as the incredible result today says it all. Congratulations to St George's.

I would also like to reply to the comment made about Mr Harte. He is a thoughtful, decent man who, after all his efforts, does not deserve accusations like that. He used the press for one thing - to protest against proposals which would in no way benefit the education Salford. I question your logic behind calling him "manipulative".
As for the other schools being "devastated", I again find this questionable. The effect this decision will have on the other Catholic schools in Salford should have been thought through before the council decided to lay all their other proposals on the basis of St George's being closed. The adjudicator obviously found the effects would be less "devastating" if St George's remained open.

I would not like to end this on a negative note, and so I would like to congratulate the staff especially, as they have supported their school from day one. Mr Fisher and Mr Harte particularly, I applaud their efforts and duties not only as teachers, but for their passion as citizens. LONG LIVE ST. GEORGE'S.

This is excellent news for the community of Little Hulton and good sense has prevailed. Mr Harte has acted with conviction, dedication and total professionalism. The staff, parents, governors and pupils of St George's had every right to fight this ludicrous proposal. The other 3 Catholic schools would have done the same and should be pleased at this outcome if they are true Christians. I think Mr Harte should be mayor of Salford. He gets the job done!

I am delighted with the decision of the Schools Adjudicator to keep St George’s open. As a local Councillor I have consistently argued that it is a successful and excellent school at the heart of the local community, and there is no reasonable justification for closing the school down.

This is a great victory for all the parents, pupils (past and present), staff and local community members who have worked so tirelessly and for so long to keep their school open. They have shown true commitment to the local community and I am thrilled that there efforts have been rewarded.

Questions must now be asked about the judgement of our Labour Councillors, and particularly the lead member Cllr Warmisham and leader Cllr Merry. They have been told consistently that this was a wrong and unreasonable decision, but instead of being big enough to hold their hands up, say sorry and change their minds, they have pressed ahead regardless. They have caused three years of unnecessary heartache and hassle for the St George’s school community only to end up back where they started.

I could not wish to meet a more committed and community-focused group of people than the school community at St George’s, and I am immensely proud as a local Councillor that they are part of our community in Walkden and in Little Hulton.

Bravo to Mr Harte and his team. Its been a long 3 years bu we've done it! Well done to all pupils (present and former), staff and parents.
On another note though, has anyone else read the statment issued on the council website? Looking at Merry's comments he hasn't read the adjudicators whole decision. I have read it twice and nowhere do i see the Canon suggesting we close Harrop Fold. This is another instance, even in George's greatest hour, of Salford Council try to smear our good name and frankly i am fed up with it. It is not for councillors to go against independant, sound, educational advice, it is for councillors to do the best for the people they represent and, for too long, salford council's labour members have taken the electorate for granted. I therefore urge all those who can vote, come election time, to do so, especially in Warmisham's and Merry's wards, and lets send a message to the labour led council that they cannot ignore or neglect salfordians anymore. Come may, Lets GET LABOUR OUT!

I do not know anybody belonging to St George's, but have followed the stories in the press. I am delighted to read that they have managed to beat a dictatorial council.
With reference to Sparky's comment regarding council and brains. My view is ( and this refers to all Labour councils) if their collective brains were made from dynamite, they wouldn't be sufficient to blow themselves up!
Well done all at St Georges.

Yet again Merry has shown his incompetence, naivety and inadequate foresight in failing to comprehend the rationale of the adjudicator's report, a document compiled by an arbitrary, professional man given the role due to his knowledge and understanding of such matters

He stated that he was 'outraged that his solution is to shut Harrop Fold and give their building to St George's' when in fact this was not the case. The adjudicator was merely offering a potential proposal which actually was for 'St George's being retained and relocated in the adjoining HF premises'.

He never indicated that a school should close but simply offered a potential solution which could be 'explored' What is seemingly even more annoying by Merry's rantings is that this is a mere suggestion and I gives me great consternation that he does not relish the thought of trying to comprehend another idea.
You cannot run a council without giving due thought and attention to any proposal, idea or solution, especially if it has some merit, however different to your own ideas.
However, on a more pleasing note, for the first time in four years, it would seem that Salford are to review the plans for All Hallows RC, St Ambrose Barlow RC and may we say it St George's RC, who have been included in the 'plans' and seemingly now have the future they deserve.

Terry Sosata (Salford Born and Bred)

Well what a sad day for the future of Catholic education in Salford! The plans for the construction of new catholic high schools have always been about what is best for the Catholic pupils in our city, never about favouring one school over another. I understand why Mr Harte, his staff and pupils have fought hard to save their school but what they have always failed to see is the bigger picture for Catholic children in the whole of the city. There has never been a campaign againsts St George's to get it closed in favour of Ambrose Barlow. The plans were to build a new school in Wardley under the name of Ambrose Barlow (a name change only, nothing more) and this would have secured a much desperately needed Catholic 6th form for the city as well. Currently children from Little Hulton and walkden who want a catholic 6th form education have to travel to Loreto College in Moss Side which is a 1 hour journey (at least 10 miles). The facilities in the new school were to be state of the art and would have benefited childre from the Salford, Swinton, Worsley, Walkden and Little Hulton areas. Along with the other proposed rebuilds of All Hallows and St patrick's has been lost. The changes are all about progress. Educational institutions do not have a finite life and eventually change has to take place to keep apace with new technology and improvements in education. Shame on you Mr Harte and your campaign as all catholic children have lost out now, not just those that attend St George's!! You have never considered what is best for all. We have seen new schools being built across the city for non-voluntary aided schools and now Catholic education is once more to suffer and be left back in the 20th century and not the 21st. Thank you Mr Harte.

Congratulations Mr Harte and EVERYONE at St Georges, 3 years of fighting the crazy plans of merry and the labour councillors and now having the independant Adjudicator agreeing with everything we've said. The Diocese and Ambrose have only themselves to blame , St. Georges asked ambrose to meet and talk but they said no and accepted the bribe of a new school only if st georges closes!!! Why would anyone trust merry? The people of Salford should be glad that St Georges a successful, oversubscribed and inclusive School is staying open to educate their children. Come on St Georges, kings of the castle!!!

Another sad day for John Merry, his useless cabinet and Scary Spicer! This is yet another failure despite havign the coucnil spin machine behind him a group of parents and teachers do better. I see his Merry's other failing fiasco the ice rink is due back this year. When will the labour group of Salford learn that they will not win the next election unless they shapew up quickly!! x

I would like to reiterate that it is not St George’s fault that the other Catholic schools will not receive refurbishments etc. If the council had thought this through, they would not have made their plans on the basis that St George’s would be closed.

I would also like to say that I attend Loreto Sixth Form, and yes, it is a long way, but it is definitely worth it. And if I had had the choice between Loreto and the new 6th Form at Ambrose Barlow, I still would have chosen Loreto, as the 6th Form at Ambrose Barlow was providing only diplomas. These are perfectly good qualifications, however, if one was pursuing a university course which required A-Levels or B-Tech qualifications, the new 6th Form would not have met those requirements. So this “state-of-the-art” 6th Form would have only benefited a only a minority. The Catholic children in Salford have NOT lost out what-so-ever. What about the children in Walkden and Little Hulton? They would not have had a Catholic school in their area, had St George’s been closed – so how would they have benefited from this new “state-of-the-art” 6th Form and other refurbished schools?

Yes, Thank You Mr Harte. For this wonderful achievement.

Well, what a victorious day for the future of Catholic education in Little Hulton and Walkden! What a refreshing thought that the Adjudicator Canon Richard Lindley could see that the fair and just decision was to keep St. George's open.

I would just like to say, I am an ex-pupil of St. George's, and when choosing the college where I would study my A-levels a year ago, (bearing in mind i had FOUR different colleges to choose from: Salford College, Pendleton College, Eccles College and Loreto College) I chose Loreto because it is one of the best colleges in the country. St. George's students have always had special provision to go there.

However, as one particular comment rightly said, it is one hour away and sometimes this can be tough, 2hours travelling a day.

Interestingly though, I dont think that this person acknowledged the fact that Catholic pupils from Little Hulton and Walkden who would have been LUCKY enough to gain admission to the new Ambrose Barlow (and not be SHUNTED into Harrop Fold like Salford council would have wanted) would have almost the same amout of travelling as I, which is not only expensive and very bad for the environment, but also time consuming and very draining.

I and my fellow 17 and 18 year old Loreto students can just about manage the long cramped bus journeys to and from college, but one only has to consider the effects of these horrendous journeys on the tiny year 7's, 8's, and 9's, to come to the conclusion that Salford Council's new arrangements would be highly impractical and somewhat damaging for the well-being of the children of Walkden and Little Hulton.

Also, I think the person who wrote the very same comment failed to notice the CRIPPLING flaw in Salford Council's proposal of a Sixth form for Ambrose Barlow - it only offered DIPLOMAS. No A-levels, or even BTEC's. As a student myself, with lots of friends of the same age currently studying in all of the different colleges around Salford I do not know ONE person who is studying, or would like to study a diploma. And therefore one could legitimately argue that this college would be an EXCUSE of a sixth form which would deny those wishing to study Alevels and BTEC's any further education.

I think it is the council who could not see the bigger picture. So shame on SALFORD COUNCIL and shame on JILL BAKER who had the audacity to saunter into our brilliant school and announce: (and I quote: "There is no future for St. Georges").

WELL DONE Mr.Harte and Mr.Fisher. You have both been fantastic and have led our strong community in the face of civic vandalism with dignity and striking professionalism.