I AM writing to express my great joy at hearing the news for the new proposals put forward by the working party, and then hearing that the education and arts sub committee have agreed with the new proposal about amalgamating Wingates St John's and Fourgates schools.

I am a parent of two children at Wingates School, and may I take this opportunity to say how well they are both doing there. I chose Wingates School because I was very impressed with what I saw when I took a look around on the school's open day. I have also heard some very good reports from parents who already have children there When I took the opportunity to walk around the school I was very impressed with what I saw, children helping one another and all getting on so well at playtime. Wingates St John's offers a warm and friendly atmosphere for all the children regardless of economic or social background. Their arms are open wide to welcome all newcomers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say how sorry I feel for the children at Fourgates School, having this dropped on them all of a sudden. I think the parents at Fourgates have been led into a false sense of security by the LEA. They thought that because their school was not in the original proposals put forward, they were safe. But this is not the case. Fourgates is on just as rocky ground as we are at Wingates. We all chose our school for whatever reasons, whether it be locality, status or the good reputation the school has. Whatever the reason we do it because we want to, and for the sake of our children.

Since the new proposals have been put forward there has been a lot of bitterness from parents not wanting change, not wanting to amalgamate, not wanting their school to be closed down. However we do not live in an ideal world, and we must move with the times, and times mean changes.

We at Wingates are willing to meet parents at Fourgates halfway. We will give up our school. We will give up the church status if we have to because any school is better than none at all. We are also willing to move with the times and do whatever is needed to get a brand new school in the Wingates area, to benefit the future education of all the children.

All this bitterness and prejudice must stop for the sake of our children. The future education of the children at both schools is going to be affected if this bitterness continues. We should lay the past behind us, start anew with a brand new school and new friends instead of enemies.

Mrs Tracey Birt

Greensmith Way, Wingates, Bolton

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.