SIR - South Gloucestershire LEA has embarked on a consultation exercise in Emerson's Green and the surrounding area including Downend, Winterbourne, Frenchay, Staple Hill and Kingswood for future secondary education provision in Emerson's Green and the surrounding area. In particular, whether a new secondary school should be a faith-based voluntary aided school.

Questionnaires have been sent out to interested parties and are available from the Education Department, telephone 01454 868686 or the council website (www.southglos.gov.uk). The return date for the questionnaire is December 16 2003.

There is also a consultation meeting at Mangotsfield Primary School Church Farm, Emerson's Green on Monday (7.3pm).

In addition to the explanatory leaflet that the LEA has issued with the questionnaire, those interested in this important issue should note the following numbered points, which are not disputed by the LEA but not mentioned in the leaflet.

1. There are 100 primary schools in the South Gloucestershire LEA and 38 of them have a faith-based element to them being CEVC (28), CEVA (4), or RCVA (6). There are no faith-based secondary schools.

2. As such, parents are denied the choice which is available in other LEAs yet diversity and choice is government policy. The Dearing Report 2001 on the future of education adopted by the Government states that every LEA should have at least one faith-based secondary school. This LEA has no plans to deliver one before 2009, nor does it currently plan to deliver one thereafter.

3. A faith-based secondary school in Emerson's Green will free up places in oversubscribed community schools in the LEA such as the Ridings School, Winterbourne, for the benefit of those parents not wishing to send their children to a faith-based secondary school.

4. Under the Education Act 2002 any new bid for a new community school must go out to tender which leaves open the prospect that a private company could run a community school in this LEA if another one is built. Did you know this?

5. The same Act provides an LEA does not have to go out to tender if it joins with a diocese(s) in submitting a bid to central government for funds for a faith-based secondary school. If the government accepts the bid it would fund 90 per cent of the cost with the diocese(s) funding the balance. Does it not make financial sense to have a faith-based secondary school rather than a community school? South Gloucestershire LEA is ranked 149 out of 150 nationally for central government funding. According to the LEAs own press release dated November 3, 2003 this low level of funding has resulted in problems in schools across South Gloucestershire. The LEAs approach of the Minister of Education for additional funding earlier this month unsuccessful.

6. If the Bradley Stoke Secondary School (due to open in September 2005 at a cost to the LEA of £17m) had been a faith-based secondary school it would have cost the LEA nothing to build and approximately £600,000 start up costs - a saving on building costs of £17m As a council taxpayer facing a probable rise of approximately 11 per cent for 2004-2005, do you know this?

I am a parent of four children who are, or have been educated in a Catholic primary school. It is more than likely that all my children will attend the Ridings High School, in Winterbourne, due to the fact that I live there and there is no alternative in the form of a faith-based secondary school.

Whilst the Ridings is a very good school it would be nice to have a choice at the year six stage. There are hundreds of parents like me who over the years have done the same and will continue to do so until there is a faith-based secondary school.

There are in between 900 and 1,000 children in the 32 Church of England primary schools in South Gloucestershire. This September just one child from one of those schools secured a place at St Mary Redcliffe in Bristol. Draw your own conclusions from these facts but in my view and in the opinion of parents I speak for this, highlights the disparity between primary and secondary level provision.

This LEA is currently failing children and parents by not delivering choice in the form of a faith-based secondary school and not making a commitment to deliver one. The need for a secondary school in Emerson's Green has been identified in the local plant. Even if you are agnostic, or generally indifference on the issue, it does make financial sense to have a faith-based secondary school. This LEA cannot afford to build a new secondary school unless it does so in partnership with someone else. The Dioceses of Clifton and Bristol are the obvious partners.

A faith-based secondary school is the right option for the people of Emerson's Green and the whole of the LEA. Vote yes on the general principle of developing a faith-based secondary school in Emerson's Green and help the LEA save a lot of money in the process.

Larry Rawlinson, Winterbourne Spokesman for parents campaigning for a faith-based secondary school in Emersons Green