Parents, teachers and pupils flocked to Castle Hall School on Monday to quiz Kirklees Council representatives about their proposal to close the school and move pupils to Mirfield Free Grammar (MFG).
Philippa Donohoe, of Uplands Drive, told the Reporter: "My children are already here (at Castle Hall) and I think this is going to affect their education. Teachers will be leaving and looking for other jobs, and they will be getting supply teachers who don't know the children and what stage they are at with their work."
Diana Brown, of Crowlees Road, said: "I think this school is brilliant and it's made my child enthusiastic to be at school. The staff here are brilliant and have got her involved in all sorts of things she never had the chance to do before. How do you protect that if it closes? It's going to be lost."
Alan Wilkinson, of Holmdene Drive, said: "Kirklees says it knows that young people want a wider choice of learning options to motivate them. How does closing Castle Hall provide a wider choice, and how many of the Castle Hall students are going to be fully motivated over the next five years, knowing their school is due to close?"
Howard Roberts, Kirklees National Union of Teachers secretary, said: "Staff have told me that this is appalling. They were appalled by the lack of information that was given to them in their staff briefing."
Parents have formed the Retain Education At Castle Hall (REACH) group and met on Wednesday to encourage more to join and help their fight.
The meeting, at the Old Colonial Club, Dunbottle Lane, had more than 100 attendees.
There, Keith Andrews, of Greenside Road, said: "This isn't Castle Hall against MFG – it's the two schools together. The government wants us to have choice. What is happening to our choice?"
The group decided to hold a protest march through Mirfield on Saturday October 4 from Lowlands road at 10am. A further meeting was called for Wednesday October 1 at 7pm at the Old Colonial.
The plans for Mirfield are part of the council's Brighter Futures scheme, which would see dramatic changes in secondary education across North Kirklees.
Castle Hall headteacher Andy Pugh said he was impressed with the public response.
He said: "I am almost solely concerned with responding to the emails, phone calls and visits that are coming in on an hourly basis. I am almost overwhelmed by the numbers that are contacting me."
l More information about the protest against the closure can be found at REACH's website – www.savecastlehall.co.cc.