THE Bishop of Clifton, the Rt Rev Declan Lang, has spoken out in favour of closure-threatened St Pius X Primary School in Withywood.

The bishop said: "There's a real desire in the Catholic parish and wider locality for St Pius X School to remain open. The school provides a wonderful community in which children in Withywood can thrive.

"The staff, pupils and parents have worked hard and achieved remarkable improvements in the past few years."

Ian McNiff, director of the Clifton Diocese department for schools and colleges, has written to the city council's Labour leader Helen Holland, outlining several further reasons why the diocese opposes the council's plan for closure as part of its review of primary schools.

He said: "To close St Pius X school would expose a potential flaw in Bristol's Primary Review proposals.

"The aim of any review is surely to overcome disadvantage, eradicate underachievement and promote high standards. It seems a contradiction and at best misguided to be closing a school that against all measures has made incredible improvements over the last two years."

Mr McNiff said numbers at St Pius have increased by more than 50 per cent and its Sats test results were now above the national average.

"To close St Pius X school against the wishes of the community and the diocese would communicate mixed messages to the wider community that the local authority is against high standards."

He also reiterated that the proposed expansion of Christ the King School in Knowle West also presented difficulties

Mr McNiff said: "Christ the King School is a highly successful school in an area of great need. It's been working very closely with St Pius X School. Both schools should continue to be a strong presence in two distinct areas of need. Christ the King School doesn't have sufficient space for its current number of pupils and the proposed expansion will only ensure there is sufficient space according to legal guidelines for the current number."