PENSNETT residents should be given more of a say in determining their future.

Dudley Council, in my opinion, is simply paying lip service when they say the closure of Pensnett High School is still in a consultation process.

Councillors know they have no intention of allowing the school to remain open. It could be argued they have known for many years that this would be the case and they were just biding their time.

The council shows contempt for Pensnett. They see it as a backward area and have no concern for the people who live there whatsoever.

It is debatable whether Pensnett High is a failing school.

The statistics published in the league tables, as with all statistics, only portray a half truth.

There is no mention of the fact a high proportion of Pensnett students enter the school with below average SATs results.

The school therefore, in comparison with most other schools in the LEA,has a mountain to climb if they are to achieve the national average.

However, Pensnett High does fantastically in terms of “value added” achievements.

In addition to this, a very high percentage of students also have special educational needs.

It is shocking the council expects GCSE students to begin their courses in one school and complete them in another. Are they realistically going to look at every student individually.

For instance, how will they ensure the students will be able follow the same programme of study or that the courses they begin will be available to them in their new school.

Everyone knows kids, particularly those with special needs, can take time to settle. By the time they have found their feet in a new school, it will simply be too late and lives could ultimately be ruined.

When the acadamy process was under way and it was announced it would be built on the Crestwood site, many people naturally decided to send their children straight to Crestwood School instead of Pensnett.

That is a crucial factor in explaining why Pensnett has falling numbers.

The council is shameless and how individual councillors sleep in their beds at night is beyond me. Something should be done.

C SANKEY via email