Whiteley Primary School Provision Item 6

Note of consultation meeting with parents at Whiteley Primary School, held at the school on 16 March 2005.

Present were 21 parents, 4 governors and the head teacher, 4 county or district councillors, the Archdeacon and representatives of the press. The main points raised are set out below:

_ Is the LEA sure about the number of future house completions?

_ Most of the children attending schools outside Whiteley do no do so out of choice, but because there are not enough places within Whiteley.

_ The journey to schools in the Western Wards is difficult. Parents may not be happy to put 4 year olds onto transport provided by others.

_ Option 1 is short sighted as numbers may increase in the future.

_ The current surplus in existing schools is not in Year R.

_ Forecasts are an underestimate. Because there is no secondary school in an adequate distance, parents may move away when their children reach the age of 11, leaving houses for parents with younger children.

_ Places in the Western Wards will be needed for continuing development there, such as Coldeast.

_ Primary and secondary issues cannot be separated as children may not be able to be with their friends who may not live in Whiteley.

_ Consideration should be given to a middle school organisation to provide places for some older children within Whiteley.

_ Several parents expressed concern about the accuracy of the LEA's forecasts and the allowance made for future house completions.

_ Is there any intention of changing admission arrangements to take out the sibling rule?

_ Is information available about the number of 1^st and 2^nd choice applications for schools other than Sarisbury?

_ LEA should be applauded for recognising that there is a problem. Statistics are about averages, but Whiteley is not average.

_ The County Council could buy a site for a new school if it is needed.

_ Whiteley is a community separated for others, but there is a case where four children living in the same road have to attend four different schools.

_ If a new school is built, would Whiteley be split into two catchments?

_ Whiteley residents are concerned because the existing school is a good school and whatever happens should not detract from that. Decisions should not be made on financial considerations alone.

_ Option 3 makes sense. Good schooling is more important than the loss of trees. Adverse effect of a large school can be dealt with by good management.

_ It is logistically impossible for two working parents to get children to two different schools on time.

_ School places should be provided within Whiteley. On a show of hands, options 1 and 3 taken together were supported unanimously.