Archived decisions
Appendix 1
Record of drop-in sessions held at St Michael's Church Centre, Smannell Road, Andover
Date: 7 March 2006
Times: 2.00 - 4.30 pm
5.30 - 7.30 pm
These sessions were intended mainly for parents in the Shepherds Spring/Roman Way community although some representatives of the Knights Enham and Vigo schools also attended. Officers spoke to about 48 residents.
The following points were made:
1 The start of the consultation process had already raised tensions between the Knights Enham and Shepherds Spring communities. Banners put up by Shepherds Spring had already been vandalised and it was suggested that this had been done by children from Knights Enham.
2 Why was it intended to build new schools when there were so many surplus places already available?
3 The two communities do not mix. Closing a pair of schools and expecting pupils to attend the other schools would not work.
4 Early years provision was crucial to the area and should not be jeopardised.
5 Similarly, the schools had particular SEN expertise which, again, should not be jeopardised.
6 Pupils are already suffering because of the uncertainty.
7 Shepherds Spring is trying to work together with Knights Enham but there is no evidence that Knights Enham wishes to reciprocate.
8 Neither parents at Shepherds Spring nor Knights Enham would send their children to the school which remained open and would prefer to send them elsewhere.
9 Pupils are already leaving Shepherds Spring because of the uncertainty.
10 The school acts as a good centre for local groups, such as scouts and cubs.
11 If the Shepherds Spring schools were to be closed, would the County Council then build houses on the site?
12 The bridge over the dual carriageway is "lethal". Parents will not use this but will cross the dual carriageway instead. Many children come to school by themselves and would be put at additional risk if they had to cross from one community to the other.
13 Has the County Council given any thought to the extended schools agenda?