A MAJOR rift between two schools is proving to be a massive obstacle between a proposed merger.

Eston Park School and Gilbrook Technology College are at loggerheads over Redcar and Cleveland Council's Building School for the Future plans.

The neighbouring schools are at different ends of the spectrum with Eston Park over subscribed and the number of pupils at Gilbrook is falling.

And a meeting to fight the plans parents and pupils from Eston Park made it clear they were strongly opposed to the idea.

An independent government-appointed adjudicator was confronted with more than 600 people determined to have their say on the plans.

Emotional pleas were made by staff, parents and students from both schools.

An Eston Park pupil said: "I only recently moved to the school and since then my grades have improved. I know from being in a bigger school that you dont get the same level of care as you do at a smaller one."

Many of the people associated with Eston Park were concerned about the negative affect of creating a large school.

However, Gilbrook parents and pupils were less negative about the proposals and many felt the school was unfairly being labelled a failing school.

A mother of a disabled pupil broke down in tears as she expressed her praise for the school.

"The staff at Gilbrook have been brilliant," she said. "It's not all about grades, it's about the people in the school."

Peter Barnett, who was made redundant at Corus this morning, has sent all five of his children to the school.

He said: "I have just had one big battle - Im losing my job at Corus. That has left me with no hope and if this school closes it will leave some pupils with no hope.

"It's not the schools that teach the children, its the teachers and it is them who are important."

Alan Parker, from the Office of the Schools Adjudicator, reassured people a decision would be made before the end of March.