AS the mother of children who are very happy at Affetside School, I wish to protest most strongly about not only the proposed closure, but also the totally unprofessional way in which this matter has been brought to public attention.

On reading in the Bury Times that my children may be without a school from September 2003, I find two weeks down the line that I am still awaiting any formal notification from the LEA that such as proposal is even under consideration. Parents are worried about their children's future, which they wish to continue to be at Affetside.

It seems that falling rolls across the borough and saving money are the prime motivating factors behind the proposed closure. Apparently, our children are not worth the cost of their currently excellent education.

Parents are being encouraged to panic because there is a dearth of honest and reliable information. Rumours are rife, and potential entrants to the school will be lost because of this uncertainty. Perhaps that is part of the plan to kill-off the school by stealth. I hope that any parent considering Affetside for their children will not be bullied into changing their decision.

Those who hadn't previously considered us really should give us a look. If a wonderful village school with increasing numbers, excellent SATs results, a good Ofsted report, an extremely committed staff, and small classes at both key stages is proposed for closure, perhaps someone can tell me exactly what a school has to do in order to stay open!

So far the whole closure issue has been handled abysmally. It is time someone thought about the children who are the real victims of these plans. So this is what is meant by Education, Education, Education!

DAWN ROBINSON-WALSH,

Tottington Road, Harwood.