School is a vital part of Maltby community

The impressive front building with its classical design and distinctive clock tower is set over a beautiful landscaped slope which incorporates an ancient natural spring as a water feature; arguably being one of the most attractive schools built at the time.

It has long stood as a beacon for the educational aspirations of the Maltby community.

Maltby residents have always been proud to point out that this is their school and its loss would be a severe blow to the pride and self esteem of the town.

A school is more than just a place where children are taught academic subjects such as maths and English, it is the heart of the community, and for a community such as ours with its colourful history and culture and its proud reputation for community spirit, it seems unthinkable that its main school should be left without any familiar distinctive features or character.

The role of a head teacher and his leadership team is more than one of imparting knowledge. They are appointed for a short period in a position of trust as the guardians of long standing traditions within the community and are expected to protect and build upon the attainments of previous generations.

Maltby has had a long history of social struggle including the part played by Maltby miners in the bitter conflict with the Conservative government of the 1980s and the subsequent privatisation of Maltby Colliery.

Since then there remains a deep-rooted mistrust of private enterprise entering public services in the town. In the case of the Academy, this mistrust seems wholley justified by the way the Academy was initially set up and now again by the sudden and unexpected proposals to demolish the historical school facade.

From the very beginning the people of Maltby were given assurances by RMBC, the School Leadership Team and the Investor, U-Explore that any future development plans would not interfere with the iconic school front.

Having secured Academy status however, and access to 11 million pounds of funding, the decision to demolish the school front was announced without prior notice or proper consultation with the community.

This can only foster further resentment towards the School Governors, the leadership team, RMBC and the investors with negative implications for the school as a whole.

There is a strong feeling in the community that the school no longer belongs to them but to the outsiders who are now in control of the school and this is compounded by the decision to place the proposed main entrance at the opposite end of the school, and the insistance of a new build feel to the entire development, giving the impression that the school has turned its back on the old town of Maltby and gives priority to the new estates it will face.

This building has considerable bearing and is part of a rare cluster of famous historical buildings in the Maltby area including the Norman Roche Abbey, Saxon St. Bartholomew's Church, the Queen's Hotel and the 17th century Hellaby Hall.

Together these buildings are a testament to over 1000 years of social and economic development in the area. Individually each building is significant in itself but the fact that they stand together within a four-mile radius makes Maltby a centrepoint for tourists and historians and increases its appeal to investors and new residents.

To demolish any one of these buildings would deplete the wealth of this group as a whole.

David Chambers, Ash Grove, Maltby.