It feels like a death in the a family

PARENTS and staff today told of their shock and fury at plans to axe 25 primary and nursery schools in Glasgow.

Mums and dads fear their children will face major disruption and have further to travel to school.

And they spoke of their heartbreak that long-established communities - with schools at the centre of them - would be broken up. One said their school was so close-knit it was like losing one of the family. FACING THE AXE THE schools earmarked for closure are:

Sighthill Primary

St Gilbert's Primary/ Barmulloch Primary

Victoria Primary

Bellahouston Primary

Albert Primary

St Agnes' Primary

St Aloysius' Primary

St Gregory's Primary

Wyndford Primary

St James' Primary

Ruchill Primary

Our Lady of the Assumption Primary

Shawbridge Nursery

Kinning Park Nursery

Merrylee Nursery Class

Mile End Nursery

Garscube Nursery

Craigielea Nursery/Broompark Day Nursery

Anderston Nursery Class

Queen Mary St. Nursery

Newark Dr. Nursery/Nithsdale Rd. Nursery/ Pollokshields Nursery Class

Staff are also furious and said the loss of the schools they had worked hard to make a success would be "tragic".

Though many of the 2000 pupils affected are too young to understand, for those old enough the news was met with tears.

The Evening Times revealed yesterday how the city council was consulting on shutting 13 primaries and 12 nurseries and moving the children to other nearby schools to save £3.7million a year.

The closures - which affect schools in many of the city's most deprived areas - mean some children will have to travel a mile-and-a-half to their new school.

City council leader Steven Purcell insists the plans are necessary to tackle the city's crumbling school buildings. And he says in some cases school rolls have fallen to around 40% of capacity.

He said: "The proposal involves the closure and transfer of 25 schools because they are no longer fit for purpose and don't provide the standard of education expected in the 21st century.

"Running half-empty schools does not allow us to offer the full curriculum and educational standards parents rightly demand."

Mr Purcell assured teachers there would be no compulsory redundancies and money saved would be ploughed back into education.

But parents, who received letters about the closure yesterday, are still upset.

Among them are parents of youngsters at St Aloysius Primary School in Springburn, who would transfer to St Stephen's Primary in Sighthill - a mile-and-a-half away.

Council bosses say any pupil who lives more than a mile from school by the safest route will be entitled to school transport.

But Phyllis Lynch, 43, from Springburn, said: "It feels like a death in the family.

"It's heartbreaking.

"This was my school as well and I've been coming up here for 17 years.

"It's a family and is part of the community - we have fundraising days for the pensioners across the road and the children go to see them.

"We won't let them close it without a fight."

Geraldine Kennaway, 38, from Springburn, who has a 10-year-old daughter at the school, said: "It's totally disgraceful. I do not want my daughter going to Sighthill. I do not see why they should close our school."

Frances Ketuly, 47, from Ruchill, said: "It's a close-knit school and there will be a lot of demonstrations."

Staff are devastated too. At one city nursery earmarked for closure - Nithsdale Road Nursery School - workers felt the proposal was "underhand" and said parents had been informed before the school knew.

The nursery, in an upmarket part of Pollokshields, faces closure, together with Newark Drive Nursery and Pollokshields Nursery Class.

All the children will be switched to the former Pollokshields Primary School annexe building - a mile-and-a-half away.

Mary Cumming, 45, a team leader at the nursery, said: "It's tragic because this is a wonderful place. It is just so valued by everyone."

In Glasgow's north, parents gathering at the gates of Ruchill Primary spoke of their anger at plans to shut the school and transfer pupils to Westercommon Primary in Possilpark.

Many shocked mums and dads first read about the proposal in yesterday's Evening Times.

Sharon Moir, 38, whose 11-year-old son Cameron and seven-year-old daughter Brooke attend the primary, said: "It doesn't make any sense.

"The school needs a lick of paint and new windows - but the building is sound.

"The council is trying to dictate where we send our children and it's not right.

"The kids have been in tears today. We're going to fight this all the way."

Ayman Kassem, 50, has a seven-year-old son Omar at the school and planned to enrol his other son Ashraf, 5, this year.

He said: "It's a totally unacceptable proposal and it's clear they are trying to push it through as quickly as possible."

Joan McVicker, whose grandson Connor, 5, is in P1, said: "It's going to be a major upheaval for the kids and will be very upsetting.

"Connor has only just settled into his class but he's going to be uprooted and moved in with other children."

The parents plan to join forces with parents from Our Lady of the Assumption Primary, in nearby Bilsland Drive, which is also earmarked for closure.

Ms Moir added: "If this goes ahead, both schools in Ruchill would close. It would rip the heart out of the place."

It's the same story across the city, where Maruam Al Motaire, who has a four-year-old son Rashid at Anderston Nursery Class, part of Anderston Primary School, expressed concern.

Under the plans, Maruam would have to travel a mile-and-a-half to Anderson St Nursery School or Sandyford Day Nursery.

She said:""It won't be easy for me to get to the other nursery with two young children." TEACHERS WANT SAVINGS REINVESTED

TEACHING union leaders say they will back the closure plans - provided any cash saved is re-invested in the education service.

Willie Hart of the EIS said: "We continue to accept closures are required in the changing circumstances.

"We would insist any closures were subject to no compulsory redundancies, and would want guarantees of proper redeployment of our members. We've been given those assurances.

"This has to be seen against a background of falling rolls, crumbling school buildings and the budget pressures the council is facing."