A protest has been held against plans for a new free school in south Wimbledon after it emerged it may have to share playing fields with a nearby primary school and cause the forced relocation of a centre for adults with learning difficulties.
Although Merton Council has not yet released the exact location of the new school, which will be run by the Harris Foundation and called Harris Wimbledon, users of the High Path Community Centre (HPCC) received an email from the director of community and housing, Simon Williams, explaining the centre would be moved.
The letter, dated August 12, said the planned site for the new school ‘incorporates an area of privately owned land next to the High Path Estate and includes the High Path Community Centre’.
It adds: ‘Although there will be no immediate change and the new school won’t open for at least two years, this will mean relocating the current HPCC to another site in the south Wimbledon area.
‘We have a site in mind and will confirm it in the autumn. I want to reassure you that we will fully involve you in the development of that new resource so you can help to shape how the new centre will operate.’
Representative of family carers at HPCC, Sally Burns, said around 80 adults with learning disabilities use the centre each week and the forced move had “come out of the blue”.
Ms Burns said: “This plan will cause a great deal of anxiety and stress to people using the centre and their families. Merton says an alternative will be provided, but what we need to know is whether this will be as good as High Path?
“Services for adults with a learning disability have suffered a lot of cuts in recent years, and having seen what has happened to the special needs courses provided by Merton Adult Education – which have been dispersed to three venues across the borough, including HPCC – we need a lot of reassurance that a suitable alternative will be secured, and the money made available to ensure it can be adapted to meet the needs of everyone who uses High Path.
“It's crucial that we are fully consulted from now on.”
The protest outside Merton Abbey Primary School was organised by former Labour councillor and cabinet member for education, Peter Walker, on Monday, August 15, which he estimated was attended by between 40 and 50 people.
July 1: Confirmed: New secondary school will be built in south Wimbledon
Another reason for the protest was the revelation that nearby Merton Abbey Primary School will be made to share their playing fields with the secondary school of 1,150 pupils.
Chair of governors at Merton Abbey, Sandy Cowling, said: “A serious difficulty is the proposal to share our outdoor space with the new school. We do not think the current council plan is in the best interests of our pupils.
“Most of our children come from the High Path Estate. Our children do live in quite cramped accommodation. They need open space and there’s not much around here they can go to.
“We use the fields for more than just games. Science lessons, sitting outside reading. It encourages children to develop confidence and listening ability. It’s an educational resource.”
Ms Cowling, who did not attend the protest, added: “We are working with the council and I’m optimistic that we will find a solution.”
But councillor for Abbey ward and former cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration, Councillor Andrew Judge, has defended the decision.
Cllr Judge said: “A new secondary school is much needed in Abbey ward and in the location which has broadly been identified.
“I’m convinced that’s the only site for a secondary school. I was involved in deciding on that site and I am satisfied the school will be in a very good site. What we are looking at is a modern school with good facilities.
Protesters held placards outside the primary school
“There’s a need to look at a shared facility with Merton Abbey. As local councillors we are convinced there’s a solution there that will result in better facilities than they have now.”
However, Ms Cowling disputed this, and said any improvement would probably be an ‘all-weather pitch’ which would take up most of the grass.
Mr Walker said: “They are going to build a school that will plunder the local primary school and a site for adults with learning disabilities.
“Even I am confounded by my former colleagues’ plans. It’s the same people being hit by adult social care cuts that will be affected. For Merton Abbey, quite a large number of children are from poorer backgrounds and they are taking away their playing space.”
He added: “I’m really sorry my friend Andrew thinks this is a good decision. He should have come down and spoken to the people at the protest. There wasn’t a single person there who thinks it’s a good decision, most of them are horrified.”
Deputy leader of Merton Council and cabinet member for finance, Councillor Mark Allison said: “Our secondary schools are now in the top three in the country and with a growing number of pupils our top priority is to ensure every child receives a high quality education close to where they live.
"Local parents are delighted that as a result of our work the government has agreed to build a new school in the heart of the borough where the need for school places is greatest.
“We are still at a crucial stage of negotiations about the site, and parents will understandably be furious if anyone jeopardised their children's education by discussing any further details before the time was right.”
What do you think? Email letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk
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