"Not to proceed with the closure of City of Leeds School"

So, here it is: the revised reccommendation from Education Leeds to Leeds City Council's Executive Board:

"not to proceed with the closure of City of Leeds School . . . "

And how many hours of sleepless nights, and how much leisure time was missed and spent in the pursuit of signatures on petitions; how many anti-depressants were handed out; how many letters were written to papers, and blogs like this written, when we could have been feet up, glass of wine, chuckling at Paxman giving somebody or other a hard time; how many t-shirts and badges; how we hugged the school; attended union and other political meetings . .

How many children said to us, "This school is s---, why did we come here? What's the point?" How many children took their GCSE exams this year knowing that the powers-that-be [ie Education Leeds] had told them that their school and their teachers were rubbish and that it wouldn't be here in two years time to take in their younger siblings. And the chief executive went on local radio and said, "Who would send their children to this school?"

And now, a thousand signatures, 2 EDMs later, and lot of private lives on hold, the reccommnedation is not to proceed with closure.

Where is the apology? Where are the children whose parents moved them mid Year 7, with Education Leeds' blessing, from City of Leeds School to Roundhay School, or Lawnswood School or whatever school they went to. They went mid school year; the damage irrevocably done. This would have been a massive check to their education, even if they were not even English-as-a-not-very-fluent-second language!

City of Leeds was the school in Leeds whose EAL [English as an Additional Language] department was raved about by all Ofsteds. Some of these these children have left us, because their parents believed the hype. Some of these children have left us because their parents knew that They were out to get us.

I see the headlines say the school is "thrilled", is "delighted" etc etc. Well no, not thrilled but relieved. We have only got what we deserved. To stay open, as City of Leeds School, as a bog-standard satisfactory comprehensive, catering for the individual needs of all of students.

Plus of course the debating awards, the poetry-slam awards, the music awards, the attendance awards, the business awards, basketball awards, and the rest.

We had better be careful. The latest Ofsted inspectors told us we were satisfactory bordering on good. A good academic cohort and we'll be outstanding, and we all know Gove thinks that should lead!