Closure-threatened Wigan school pupils pay remembrance respects

Youngsters from Holy Family RC Primary in Platt Bridge took part in their own little remembrance parade.

Staff say the children had all been very eager to show their respect after a year four trip to the Platt Bridge Cenotaph to lay poppies there from the school.

Staff, parents and pupils in uniform and wearing poppies all met at the school on Sunday and set off around the local area in time to arrive at Holy Family church for the 11am mass.

A spokeswoman said: "This allowed out children to pay their respects while also supporting our school and showing we will not give up hope of saving Holy Family."

Due to falling pupil numbers in recent years and projections that the rate is set to continue, Wigan Council is looking to close one of the schools in the area, Holy Family being one and Abram Bryn Gates being the other.

Members of the public have been given a say in which might stays and which might go in a couple of years' time.

A council spokesperson said: “All local authorities have a statutory duty to ensure sufficiency of school places for all residents and this involves balancing supply and demand and ensuring we have enough school places where we need them or reducing places where there are too many, that it has a negative impact."

Both schools have pledged to make strong cases for remaining open.

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