Government Ministers will have the final say on a proposal to expand the intake at Pershore High School to Year 7, it was confirmed this week. Schools Minister David Laws has written to West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin saying that any change ‘where the majority of parents are strongly opposed’ will not be approved nor will any proposal which disrupts the educational provision for a whole area. Pershore School governors launched a consultation process last month to investigate a plan to expand the school to take pupils at year seven from as early as next year. Concerned parents have written to Harriett regarding the proposals and these comments have all been fed into the consultation. Harriett last month wrote to the Department for Education to seek clarification on the process which the school was considering. The Minister confirmed that the school must complete a formal consultation – which usually takes two academic years - before seeking to expand the school’s intake and must secure the support of local parents, local stakeholders, other schools in the pyramid and the local authority. Harriett commented: “I am grateful for the parents who have contacted me and everyone who has already participated in the consultation to get the widest possible views. “I have also met with both the local middle school heads and Pershore High School’s head to discuss this matter. “I will be passing the advice from the Minister to everyone who has contacted me about this issue.”