School name change village 'losing its identity'

A year ago, governors faced an outcry when people learned their new £3m school was to be called St Andrew's and St Laurence's Voluntary Aided CE School.

Governors called an emergency meeting and recommended that the name Middleton St George be retained in the title.

However, a recent consultation by the school, asking about 200 parents about their choice of names, brought back only 14 replies, most opting for the status quo.

On Tuesday, another letter was sent out giving three options - St Laurence's, St George's or All Saints CE school.

At a meeting of the village community police partnership on Wednesday, Margaret Blacklee said her family had lived there for four generations and she had grandchildren at the school.

"I am just so angry," she said. "It has been Middleton St George School since 1911. We face losing the name of the airport and now they are trying to take the name of the school.

"The children won't mind what the name is and a lot of new people on the estates won't be bothered. It will be those who were born and bred here who object."

Coun Doris Jones abstained on Monday when other governors decided that only the names of saints would be considered.

"I know we gave you our word when we attempted to change the name last year. We said we would consult and the parents would make the decision. But Middleton St George is not an option," she stressed.

She agreed with a man in the audience who said: "We are losing the identity of the village".

Steve Yorke, deputy chairman of governors, said he also had abstained. He asked people to bear in mind that the time scale was very tight for anyone who wanted to object. Votes had to be in by Monday lunch time.

The partnership decided to write to the school expressing its dissatisfaction that Middleton St George was not included as one of the options in the consultation.

Coun York said an announcement on the new name was due on Monday afternoon