DON'T judge a book by its cover is a lesson that some parents and pupils have learned about a Lancaster school recently.

Last month The Citizen revealed that more than 130 children in Heysham and Morecambe received notification from the LEA that they would have to attend Skerton High School - despite their parents choosing other schools ahead of it.

Some of those children have since been relocated following appeals by the parents. But many others were impressed when they took the time to look around Skerton High.

Headmaster of the school, Peter Doyle, was overjoyed at the news. He said: "When it all happened we held a meeting for the parents. So many people came we had to bring in extra chairs to the hall. It went very well when they went round the school. One parent was so impressed she came and told me she was elated by what she'd found.

"I can totally understand why parents wouldn't want their children to travel from, say, Heysham, when there's already a school there. I wouldn't want that for my own children. We have a big range of pupils here of all abilities. Two of our former pupils went on to Morecambe High for sixth form, we don't have one, and they got five straight As at 'A' level. That shows we can accommodate the brightest children here."

Morecambe MP Geraldine Smith, who took up the cause of the parents, commented: "I'm really pleased this is happening for Skerton High because I know how hard the new headmaster and staff have worked. I'm also really pleased that some parents have got their children into one of the schools they chose."

Not every parent has had their appeal dealt with yet but Miss Smith has already had messages of thanks from some whose children have been relocated to schools of their choice. Now she plans to write to every single parent who contacted her to find out how their appeal is going.

This week she told the Citizen: "I've just been in a meeting with the director and chairman of education at the LEA and they told me that every year the system starts to sort all these problems out. Obviously this year was worse than usual."

Are you one of the parents who has decided to send their child to Skerton? Or are you still fighting for your child to be moved? If so please call our reporters on 382121.

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