THE Wyre Forest Education Review, including the proposed closure of small schools, is of great concern to all of us.

Following my Viewpoint last week, the obvious alternative option to the ones in the county council's consultation paper has already been pointed out to me. This, of course, is the option to maintain the status quo throughout Wyre Forest.

There would then be no automatic closure of the small highly cherished schools and no disruption of education for the children going through middle schools. It would save campaigns being launched to fight for the preservation of each small school which in some cases might be fighting against each other.

The strongest reason for retaining the status quo for education in Wyre Forest is that everybody agrees that there is no difference in the end result of education for children whether it is under the two or the three-tier system.

That leaves us with the problems of excess school places for children in the district and inadequate funding. Reduction in places could be shared through schools and the argument that this would not save as much money as closure of whole schools could be met by the argument that the money to convert from a three to a two-tier system would no longer be necessary.

From talking to parents, teachers and councillors throughout Wyre Forest the option of no-change appears to be the one most people prefer.

I have a meeting with Colin Weeden, of the LEA, in early August and I would like to receive comments in support of this option, or against it, by August 4. Please send them to me at the House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA.

It will then be necessary to draw together a cross-party, cross-school group to examine and present the pros and cons before the end of the consultation process.

I cannot help remembering the argument we used - without success - about the hospital and this was "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Before accepting change we need the county council to produce a copper-bottomed, acceptable, well-reasoned argument for their proposals based on sound educational reasons alone.

NHS star ratings cover Primary Care Trusts this year. It is a tribute to our GPs and all their staff under the leadership of the chairman, chief executive and trust board that the trust has achieved the highest possible grade of three stars.

It is a challenge now to live up to this accolade. Peter Forrester, chief executive, correctly recognises that the PCT's function is to define the needs of local people to whom the NHS belongs and to strive for services to meet these needs and not to be diverted by professional groups who may see the interests of their members as of paramount importance.