Page 15 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • February 2005 15
Re-organising primary schools in the West
Being pro-active about change or letting unpopular schools wither
The provision of primary school which schools might close to fund formed and everyone will have number of surplus places at each
places is a problem all over Swin- the new-look extended schools. the opportunity to have their say school and gives options for the
don forwhich the council is strug- Achieving a positive way forward about the future of schools in West future, including taking no action.
gling to find solutions. depends on correct information be- Swindon. We look forward to hear-
• Subject to the cabinet ratification
In North Swindon there are not ing made available and consulta- ing the views of local people and
on 2 February. displays and meet-
enough places in the locations peo- tion which is both meaningful and working with them and the schools ings with parents are planned to
ple want them - not even for sib- relevant. to develop these exciting plans." take place at West Swindon pri-
lings - and as Alison Carr writes In January 500 parents attended • The report to the Education Part- mary schools. Details had not been
on page 16, parents like her may be a meeting called by Westlea School nership Board `/mproving Educa- confirmed at the time of going to
forced to move an older child to governors incensed by a confiden- t/on Prov/s/on In West Sw/ndon. press. Contact your local primary
another school. tial but inaccurate education de- school or go to the web site.
explaining the extended school, can
In West Swindon the baby boom partment report in late November
be found at www.swindon • Westlea School governors are
is over. The good provision of to headteachers, outlining school
education.org.uk organising another parents meet-
places at 11 primary schools since reorganisation proposals.
The report also sets out the ing for Tuesday 1 March. 7.15pm.
Toothill School opened in 1978 has Parents expressed anger that
now turned into surplus. The Westlea was being considered for
number of empty places is pre- closure and vowed to defend it in
dicted to rise to around 700 in 2009 every way possible.
which means a lot of money being Deputy chair of governors Mick 4
spent on maintaining unused class- Adams said the turnout was stag-
rooms. gering. "It showed the depth of
an e d u cation for Ii
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Half of the packed hall of concerned parents at Westlea School on 11 January
At the same time Central Gov- feeling there is for Westlea School.
ernment is requiring greater inte- Remove the mobile classrooms and
gration between education, health the school does not have any sur-
and social services, whilst want- plus places; I would argue it is a
ing to see school use extended to good example of an extended
provide more community facili- school serving its community.
ties. "It really is appalling how this
As school roles continue to fall, threat has come out, accompanied
the council has difficult decisions by an aggressive time-scale for
to make. It can be pro-active in change."
taking new approaches to educa- The options in front of the coun-
tion and community development cil to alter West Swindon primary
or allow some schools to wither school provision went to the Edu-
because parents choose to send cation Partnership Board on 20
children elsewhere, eventually January which recommended to
leading to closure. the council's cabinet which meets
The December Link exclusively on 2 February that a process of
outlined the radical plans Swin- formal consultation should start.
don Council has in mind for pri- Coun Gary Perkins has sought
mary schools described at the No- to calm parental fears. "We have
vember West Swindon Area Fo- the potential to do some very ex-
rum by cabinet lead member for citing things for schools in West
education, councillor Gary Swindon, putting them right at the
Perkins. centre of community life and build-
At the meeting Director of Edu- ing state of the art facilities for
cation Hilary Pitts was nervous children.
about admitting in public that re- "This means some reorganisa-
ducing surplus places and invest- tion and includes options for amal-
ing in educational development gamation and possibly closure in
could well mean some schools be- some cases.
ing closed. "I appreciate that this creates
The January Link reported the some uncertainty and anxiety but
rumours and speculation circulat- I want to make it very clear that
ing across West Swindon as to local people will be kept fully in-