OTLEY'S MP has added his voice to those opposing plans to create a Multi-Academy Trust.

A consultation on the proposal, which would see Prince Henry's Grammar School and Bramhope Primary become the founding members of the new Trust (MAT), ended on Monday, May 21.

As reported in this week's newspaper, the schools think the move would deliver 'tangible benefits' and also envisage the MAT growing to include more local schools.

MP Alex Sobel (Lab, Leeds North West), however, has raised 12 points of concern in the comments he has submitted to the consultation.

He said: "It is understandable that Bramhope Primary would wish to ensure the future status of their children as students of Prince Henry’s, and that the MAT pathway is an opportunity to do that.

"It is important that this benefit is weighed up against the consequences of becoming an academy, leaving its status as a maintained school under local authority jurisdiction.

"Leeds’s maintained schools are well known for their standards and have better rates of good or outstanding than the academy schools."

He also, like Otley and Yeadon's three ward councillors, flagged up the issue of lack of enthusiasm for the plan from the other local schools.

He said: "It is noted with interest that none of the other local schools have taken up the offer to be part of the MAT.

"A partnership of only two schools does not look likely to lead to greater partnership across the community.

"There are concerns within the community that there may be a knock-on effect for children living in the Otley area, who are not at Bramhope Primary, in attaining a place at Prince Henry’s.

"Whilst I recognise that some extra places are being made available for the coming academic year, I am yet to see any guarantee that there will be no structural effect on local children and parents as a result of this move.

"It also leaves open the possibility of local schools being pressured into joining the MAT because of parental fears about lack of school places."

Mr Sobel's comments concluded: "There has been no appetite in the community for this move.

"I believe that MATs are fundamentally flawed and should be scrapped.

"Even with the additional funding they received many have failed. The ideal situation is that all schools return to local authority control under a fair funding formula.

"I will continue to campaign for this outcome and in the meantime, think its unwise for any more expansion of MATs."