THE FUTURES of six primary schools in Macclesfield are under severe threat as radical proposals to shake-up education in the borough have been unveiled.

Up to four could close with two others facing massive reductions in pupil numbers.

Cheshire County Council maintains there are 907 surplus spaces (15.8 per cent of the total) at primary schools in Macclesfield which is the highest percentage in Cheshire.

If the options are implemented, St Barnabas CE and St Edward’s RC schools in Macclesfield will close, along with either Bollington Cross or Bollington St John’s CE primary schools.

It is proposed the Bollington school saved from the axe would operate initially on both sites before relocating to a single premises.

Bosley St Mary’s and Wincle CE primary schools have been asked to consider merging and in a further step Ivy Bank and Puss Bank primary schools could face possible reduction of pupils to 210.

Puss Bank School opened in January 2001 and has a Nursery, Infant Assessment Unit and Autistic Spectrum Disorder Unit. There are also two 12-place classes for junior children with moderate learning difficulties.

Headteachers at most of the affected schools have declined to comment, but head of Wincle Sheila Loughlin, said: "We have no idea what will happen at the moment, other than we have been invited to consider a federation. There are different types of federation.

"A soft federation is where we could be doing many of the things we are doing already, and training staff together from the schools.

"But it could also be a hard federation, where there is one headteacher for the two schools."

She added: "I’m not really worried [about my job]. We are literally just trying to explore the options. We haven’t got any further than that. It’s about finding the best solution for the children at Wincle and Bosley. There are no signs of panic."

Quentin Thompson, head of Ivy Bank where the plans would mean a reduction from 315 to 210 pupils added: "I still have to meet with the governors, but I would say that it appears to be more about redistributing children rather than actually reducing the number of children going to school in the borough.

"The schools involved are in the same area so I don’t know how that would affect the whole borough."

Parents were informed of the options by letter last Friday (October 12) and have already taken the fight to save their schools to Downing Street.

Jenni Slattery, whose daughter attends St Barnabas, is part of a 30-strong action group which has set up a petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Barnabas.

She said: "My daughter only started in September and absolutely loves it, but what has really made it worse is this has been in the pipeline for a long time.

"We have now got the ball rolling and hope people will support us."

Furious mum Sharon Pollard, of High Street, Macclesfield added: "My daughter Caitlin has just started at St Barnabas, she has only been there for six weeks and now we hear the school could close.

"The school told us on Friday they were losing money because they don’t have enough pupils, but there are falling numbers throughout Cheshire.

"We are the only one on this side of Macclesfield. There is talk of the kids moving to St Albans, but that is a long way and there won’t be enough space for St Barnabas and St Edwards’ pupils.

"Basically it means we will have to travel a minimum of two miles to the nearest school. I don’t know where they are expecting us to go."

"The school has asked if we want to fight to stay open and there is talk of a possible merger with St Edwards."

CCC Children’s Services Executive Member David Rowlands said: "The current pattern of provision of school places in the Macclesfield area is outdated, based as it is on the pupil population of several years ago.

"We have to remove what is a substantial barrier to progress and seize the chance to create a fairer system that will provide the maximum opportunities for all our children.

"Doing nothing is not an option – simply because the situation will worsen as surplus capacity in Macclesfield’s schools continues to rise.

"I want to emphasise that the schools identified in these options are serving their communities well.

"But as a responsible authority we must take a strategic view for the future good of everyone concerned."