Five city schools to close

Five schools in Leeds are to close because of falling pupil numbers.

The decision was taken after a five hour council meeting on Monday night.

Merlyn Rees High, Matthew Murray High, Braim Wood Boys School, Agnes Stewart Church of England and Primrose High schools will all be closed down.

They will be replaced with three new facilities which could be ready by 2006.

One of the reasons given for the decision is the fall in pupil numbers.

Around £60m will be spent on building three new inner-city schools to replace the schools earmarked for closure.

Key issues

Councillor Peter Gruen, chairman of the committee which took the decision, told BBC News Online: "I think this was a very thorough way of running through the evidence.

"We considered the key issues which really were about standards of education at current schools.

"The new schools, in a brand new up-to-date working environment, could provide a much greater stimulus for pupils of all abilities, so we could achieve better outcomes for each individual.

"On that basis the evidence was overwhelming."

The new schools are planned for the Foxwood site at Seacroft, East Leeds, the Primrose site at Beckett's Park, Headingley, with the third close to the South Leeds Stadium off Dewsbury Road.