I am writing to you to express my concerns over the possible closure of Burnholme Community College.

I left the school in 2001 after completing nine GCSEs, all above a C grade. I believe that if I had gone to any other school I would not have achieved this.

I was given an exceptional amount of support from my maths teacher when I was told I wasn’t good enough to do the higher tier maths GCSE.

My maths tutor gave me extra tuition in her spare time because I had my heart set on doing the higher tier.

Because of that teacher I achieved the higher paper, and will be forever grateful to her and all the other teachers of the school.

Last year the staff of Burnholme accepted me as a student to complete my teaching assistant level three course, and I got an A on an assignment because of the way I was taught to assist.

I would love to go back to Burnholme, now that I have finished my college course, to work full-time and give back as much as I can to a fantastic school.

If Burnholme is closed I feel this will be robbing future students of the chance to be educated in (in my opinion) the finest school York has.

Nicola Lacy, Seventh Avenue, Heworth, York.



• A couple of years ago I was asked to come to Burnholme College as an experienced teacher and counsellor to organise training sessions for the children.

While at the school I was privileged to experience the learning environment within the school. It was evident that the staff valued each child in his/her own right for both academic, sporting and other achievements. I understand it had taken some years to arrive at this point, and the positive ambience of the school was very evident. School life is a large part of growing up and Burnholme recognises the importance of an all-round education for its children. Long may it continue.

In a background climate of continuous assessment and accountability, Burnholme has shone out in the battle to put children first.

Marion McAulay, Cert Ed Bed (Hons), Counsellor, NVQ Assessor, St Mary’s Island, Chatham.



• The school is exceptional and offers personal pastoral support and students feel as though they are a person, not just a number. This personal relationship between staff and students is critical to learning and the majority of schools do not deliver this personal support.

Alan Warren, Meadlands, York.



• Don’T let Burnholme get closed down. Just because It may be smaller then other schools or not have enough funding doesn’t mean it’s useless. It offers a good education to students and has amazing teachers.

Shane Johnson, Thoresby Road, Acomb, York.



• As parents of two students at Burnholme College we’ve known that it’s a good school for some time; it seems a shame that this has only become public knowledge now that the threat of possible closure is hanging over it.

Dave and Niki Turnbull, Woodside Avenue, York.



• I developed and pursued my love of English at Burnholme and it has inspired me to become an English teacher myself, once I have graduated from university. The fact that the school has a small intake of students is what makes it so special. Students are people to their teachers rather than just a number; it creates a wonderful community spirit within the school.

Jamie Lyons, Poppleton Road, York.



• My daughter is due to start secondary school in September 2010 and she will be going to Burnholme – it is a small school that prioritises the child, not the results that they gain. Burnholme supports the local community in a way that City of York Council will never know.

Nicola Chapman, Langdale Avenue, York.



Pete Dwyer, City of York Council’s director of learning, culture and children’s services, said:

“Firstly, let me stress that no decision has been made regarding the future of Burnholme College.

“We share the view that the school provides a good education. However, the current projections for pupil numbers cannot be avoided.

“Unless the number of children attending Burnholme increases, the school will not be able to maintain the curriculum the children need and expect. This is despite additional support from other schools across the city.

“Our priority is to ensure that all our schools provide the high-quality education that our children deserve. Any decisions about the future of Burnholme will be taken to enable us to achieve this.”

(Editor’s note: Our large postbag on this issue has meant some letters have had to to be edited and cut back.)