dewsbury had two grammar schools – wheelwright grammar school for boys and, further up the hill, wheelwright grammar school for girls. the 1970s education reforms converted these two establishments to high schools and they were renamed dewsbury college and birkdale high school. dewsbury college was merged with huddersfield technical college to become part of kirklees college in 2008, and is now known by that name. birkdale high school closed in july 2011. in the 2005 school league tables, dewsbury's eastborough junior, infants and nursery schools were reported to have the most consistently improved results over the past four years. however, the headteacher of the school, nicola roth, has been highly critical of school league tables in the uk and has been reported to have said, "it would be better if league tables did not exist".