Protest as children are turned away from school
Angry mums have launched a protest campaign after their youngsters were turned away from their village school.
Oliver Dodd-Wynne, three, and four-year-old Zach Bedworth are among a handful of children from Croston, near Chorley, who won't be joining their pre-school pals at the village's only primary school in September because it is full.
Trinity and St Michael's CE/Methodist School opened in 1997 with 210 places after two primaries were amalgamated to form a smaller school on a new site.
The merger was brought about because of falling numbers, but the school has been oversubscribed several times since and has had two extensions built. It still only has 210 places.
Now, an action group set up by parents in 2002 fighting for an extra classroom has been reformed.
Vikki Dodd and Fiona Bedworth have started an online petition and spent 100 on a banner after being told their children will have to travel to neighbouring Eccleston to school.
Single mum Vikki moved to the village a year ago to be near her parents and has attended church regularly. She wanted her son to have a church education but has been told the faith schools in two nearby villages are also full.
Teacher Vikki said: "By moving here I could get Oliver into the pre-school. The hope was that when Oliver started school he would be able to attend before and after school clubs."
Now she claims she will struggle to get him to and from Eccleston Primary School and said: "My argument is the village has expanded and is going to expand further in the future. If this is the case and Chorley Borough Council keep granting planning permission for further houses, the school has got to expand also."
Meanwhile Fiona, who also has a two-year-old daughter, Erin, and new baby, said Zach had taken a long time to settle into pre-school and would struggle if he wasn't with his former chums.
She said: "There are also logistical problems. Our childminder has commitments to drop other children off and can't do both.
"My husband and I both work and leave home at about 7am so that we can fit our hours in at work and be home in time for us to have a family meal together and spend some time with our children."
The pair plan to appeal and want to see another teacher employed to cater for the growing needs of the village.
Bob Stott, Lancashire County Council's director for universal and prevention services for children and young people, said: "We constantly review the provision of primary school places as the need for places fluctuates.
"Structural solutions, such as expanding the reception intake of a school, have a considerable impact on staffing and budget and are usually only considered in circumstances where there is a predicted shortfall of places."
* If you have met similar problems, contact sonja.astbury@lep.co.uk
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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