THIS is the right time for change to our schools - that was the view that echoed around County Hall as one of the most important decisions on Oxford's education was chalked up.

The city now looks set to have a two-tier system of primary and secondary schools after the vote to scrap middle school education.

The county's education committee took more than three hours to reach its decision which ended with 19 councillors giving a big "yes" to the plans and two - Labour's Tom Richardson and the Green's Sushila Dhall - refusing to accept any change.

Cllr Richardson apologised to his party before voting in direct opposition to them. He said he was concerned for the future of 200 teaching staff affected by the move and worried how the scheme would be financed.

Cllr Dhall said she did not believe the move would raise education standards and would lead to schools with up to 1,500 pupils in them.

Many of those who voted said it was one of the most difficult issues they had ever debated - changing the face of Oxford's schools forever.

By Mark Templeton

Story date: February 3, 2000

Story date: Thursday 03 February

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.