A SCHOOL’S spirit will live on, despite it being earmarked for closure in a multi-million pound shake-up.

Beardwood High School pupils and staff were given the chance speak to Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) officials in a bid to keep the school’s ethos alive.

The school in Preston New Road is scheduled to close in 2012 as part of the £200m BSF programme.

More than 80 pupils attended The Finishing Touch conference in Ewood Park to share their school values and favourite facilities.

It also aimed to deal with any concerns students had about the planned closure and the need to increase school places elsewhere.

Concerns ranged from fears over school uniforms to uncertainty as to whether they would not fit in.

All suggestions from the event will be passed to BSF decision makers to help inform future plans.

Coun Chris Thayne, executive member for children’s services for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “The young people of Beardwood and across the borough have many years of experience of knowing what makes their school work well for them.They are the experts and we would be foolish not to pay regard to what they value and wish to be incorporated in the good schools of the future.”

The shake-up starts in 2010, with the creation of three new super schools: Pleckgate High School Mathematics and Computing College, Witton Park High School Specialist Business and Enterprise College, and Blakewater College, which will be renamed as East Blackburn Community School.

Schools run by Lancashire County Council are also involved in £250million BSF scheme in Burnley and Pendle which is due to be completed by 2011.

Deputy head teacher Jacquie Petriaho said: “The event was organised so every child had the opportunity to say what they wanted to say and to have their input.

“They wanted to know simple things like who is paying for the new uniforms and what if my younger brother doesn’t settle? What support mechanisms are in place?”

Blackburn with Darwen Council is talking to three bidders and a partner to build the new schools will be chosen in September.