What is the council doing with schools? (From Your Local Guardian)

What is the council doing with schools?

12:20pm Friday 7th November 2008 in

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Merton Council and the LEA seem determined to supersize primary schools, and are targeting the schools in the Wimbledon area.

This is short sighted and detrimental for two reasons. Firstly, large institutions are alienating for small children (particularly three to six-year-olds) and secondly, if you build on the playing fields then children have less space to run around, thereby contributing to long term obesity and health problems.

When the two-tier system (primary/secondary) was introduced, the majority of primary schools in England consisted of 210 pupils (30 children per year times seven years).

It was recognised that small children (aged four to 10) benefited from less intimidating institutions, particularly as the class sizes are so large.

Families move to Wimbledon because of the reputation of the primary schools, yet over the last 10 years Merton Council has sold over £18m of school land to developers and not built any new schools.

Why do the council have this desire to shoot themselves, and residents, in the collective foot?

Why sell playing fields, reduce the amount of running around children can do, then try to fight obesity with healthier diets?

Why improve secondary schools but cause the primary schools that feed them to deteriorate?

Why encourage developers to build flats and then seem genuinely surprised when schools, hospitals and transport cannot cope with the increased numbers?

The Independent reported that Gordon Brown, PM, will “splash billions on schools and hospitals” (Sunday, October 19). Merton should put effort into securing this funding before they irreparably change the primary schools.

LYNDA MATHEWSON Parent at Wimbledon Chase Primary School