From (address)__________________

______________________________

______________________________

______________________________

Ms Liz Nicholson

Director of Children & Young People’s Services

Shropshire County Council

Shirehall

Abbey Foregate

Shrewsbury

Shropshire SY2 6ND

October 2007

Dear Ms Nicholson

Proposed School Organisation Policy

As a parent of children at Lydbury North Primary School I am writing to express concern at the recent publicity in the press about closure of up to 20 primary schools in Shropshire.  We were only informed about this last week at a meeting in the school which was attended by Cllr Nigel Hartin.  The shock news was that we were told that schools could close as early as 2009.

The policy report from Mr Ian Budd makes hidden assumptions that small schools do not deliver a satisfactory breadth of curriculum both educational and sporting.  I vigorously refute that assumption and many parents have chosen to send their children to Lydbury North because they feel the curriculum delivery is better in a small school, delivered with more attention to the individual child and with a more holistic approach to educating our children.  The staff know our children better and instil in them a sense of community, of belonging and working together.

In the Government document “Every Child Matters” schools are expected to ensure that the individual needs of a child are fully met.  Lydbury North Primary School is ideally suited to provide attention to individual differences which is a central principle of good teaching.

Closure of our school would have a devastating socio-economic effect on the wider local community.  Moreover there is a long tradition here of local community involvement, interaction and support from village, countryside and Church.  Powerful school-family-community liaison exploits neighbourhood virtues.  Parents, governors and community members are regularly involved in invaluable learning activities in and out of the classroom.

Surplus places are simply a statistic which can be changed simply by altering the ‘standard number’ in each school and should not be used as criteria for a school closure policy.

The consultation process is not strictly a ‘consultation’ as members of the public, school staff, school governors and parents have not been directly approached for opinions.  Everybody should be consulted on the wider social and economic impacts on the community as a whole.  A rural community needs families and families need a local school.

I believe any cuts made now are on the basis of short term financial gain without consideration for rural life.

Yours sincerely