UPDATED: Headteacher's frank letter to parents about under-threat Leeds school

Pupils from Boston Spa Academy, with their headteacher Chris Walsh (second left) and Sir John Townsley, The Gorse Academies Trust Chief Executive (left).

The headteacher at a Leeds school has criticised shock council plans to close the secondary and sell-off the land and has urged the community to campaign against the proposals.

In a frank letter to parents, Chris Walsh, from Boston Spa Academy, wrote that, following support from parents, the school was still in the process of applying to join Leeds-based The Gorse Academies Trust (TGAT) in an effort to transform the school from 'good' to 'outstanding'.

However, in an unexpected twist, he said Leeds City Council has objected to the application and instead put forward a proposal to close the school, sell the land for development and instead build a new school and other facilities, including a leisure centre and community library, in nearby Wetherby.

The new school would replace the existing Wetherby High School, which is just over three miles away from Boston Spa Academy.

He wrote: "These proposals make no sense to us. We believe they are motivated by politics and conflicts of interest and do not put the best interests of our children first."

A council spokesperson said any proposal bought forward by the local authority would require full consultation and any implementation would not take place until after 2019 allowing for a "phased approach and careful management".

The spokesperson said: “The council has cross party support to retain a school in the heart of the Wetherby community which would serve the coming generations of pupils and have capacity for additional pupils generated by proposed housing in the area.”

Parents and residents took to social media to air their views on a community Facebook page, with a post featuring the letter being shared more than 175 times so far and the plans being labelled as "bonkers".