Archived decisions

Appendix 3b

Proposed closure of Chineham Park Primary School

Drop-in sessions

Numbers attending: 10 parents and three members of staff

Questions

    1. Why hasn't the Local Authority put money into the school in the past?

    2. Lots of new housing in the area which will mean more pupils so why close the school?

    3. Forecast numbers show the possible need for school places in the area, could the building be mothballed or used for another purpose until the school is needed again?

    4. The school is no worse now than a number of years ago so why seek to close it now?

    5. The July HMI report said the school was getting better, why close the school now?

    6. Are the teachers at fault and do we have the right teachers in the school?

    7. Is there a proposal to close the school and sell off the land?

    8. There is a suggestion that there will be a need for school places in the future so why close the school?

    9. Many of teachers have been graded as no more than satisfactory and there is concern that we cannot be graded higher than that here. Has this been done so we are seen as not being good teachers and, therefore, will have difficulty getting a new job?

Comments

    1. School provides breakfast and after school clubs which is invaluable to parents in the area.

    2. Unfortunately many parents do not support the school.

    3. School has good grounds and these are used by the Popley U7 and U11 football teams for training.

    4. More targeted work with children using IEPs and more of a team "feel" in the staff.

    5. Schools runs breakfast club and after school club which help the parents in the area. Possibility of running a holiday club.

    6. IEB not been given the time to make a difference.

    7. High percentage of children have SEN which makes progress slow, the decision to close is premature.

    8. There is a large number of children attending the school with SEN which requires a lot of support, in a larger school the children will not get this support nor are they likely to cope with larger class sizes.

    9. With the right support for the staff the standards will rise, just give us time.

    10. When parents are looking for places in the area other schools are not suggesting Chineham Park Primary to parents as a possible school for their child to attend.

    11. Pupils in Y5 will move schools twice in a year, this will be very disruptive for those children.

    12. You should not have admitted children into YR if you were not prepared to teach them for the duration of their primary school life.

    13. Potential that if the children move to another school they will be picked on as "the naughty children from Chineham".

    14. The link to the Children's Centre could bring more children into the school, just give us more time.

    15. Some parents feel it is a waste of time making their views known as the decision to close has already been made.

    16. Many people will not send their children to Marnel. If I have to send my children to Marnel I will probably tutor them at home.

    17. Bullying issues in the school have not been dealt with.

    18. Headteacher should have left.