But the plans were called in by the Conservative opposition after being criticised by senior Lib-Dem Stuart Kelly.

Cllr Kelly said he believed there was no need for the creation of a boys academy. Wirral's director of children's services, Howard Cooper, said he was confident that all three schools were excellent.

He said school closures was "not a terribly happy process" but said it was related to funding for building schools for the future, plus significantly increasing surplus places in the schools, and the issue of school size.

Chair of governors at Park high, Gerry Halford, highlighted the gender imbalance issue and said, with Birkenhead High school for girls becoming an academy, this had added to the problem.

But Wayne Chand, an English teacher at Ridgeway, received loud applause when he said the uncertainty was damaging a successful school and already likely to affect next year's intake.

He spoke passionately about the commitment of staff and the hard work of pupils and said: "If it's not broke, don't fix it."

Parent Nick Lillie said he was “appalled” at the way the meeting had been conducted, and said: “I heard a Labour councillor accuse the chair of bias and even swore – there were children from the school at that meeting. It’s a disgrace.”