Mum's anger at bid to shut school

From the archive, first published Saturday 17th Sep 2005.

A SWINDON mum has hit out at plans to close her children's school.

Pamela Durston is furious that Windmill Hill Primary School could close as Swindon Council tries to tackle the number of empty school places in West Swindon.

The school in Freshbrook has 215 pupils.

And she insists five-year-old Bethany and Fraser, aged seven, will not get such a good education at a new school planned on the site of Freshbrook Primary.

"It is so successful I can't believe they would even contemplate shutting it down," said Mrs Durston, 35.

"It is just such a good school, it is superb.

"The teachers all know the children, everybody knows everybody. It is a caring school.

"If ever there is a problem it is sorted out straight away. There is no bullying.

"It is a single-form entry and that is what makes it so successful. It is a small community environment.

"The new school would be a bigger school. The quality of the education would go down."

Swindon Council announced last week that it plans to start consultation with parents about closing Windmill Hill and Freshbrook schools and replacing them with a new school on the Freshbrook site.

Toothill Primary School would also be knocked down and replaced with a new school on the same site.

The new schools would cost a total of £9.7m.

Mrs Durston had thought Windmill Hill would be saved when the council saw how much support it had.

"We had a meeting and our school hall was overflowing," she said.

"There were teachers, parents, past pupils, there was so much support there. They have not listened to any of that.

"We always thought they wanted this new school. They are just doing what they want. They have not listened.

"They said that they didn't want to waste tax payers' money on empty desks but they want to spend all that money on an unnecessary and unwanted school."

Mrs Durston, who lives with Fraser, Bethany and husband David, 35, in Roundway Down, Freshbrook, is also unhappy about the timing of the announcement.

"We have been back in school for a week then we get hit with this," she said.

"The reception parents are probably thinking `what have I put my children into?'

"The children are very upset. When my friend told her children they just burst into tears. I keep telling my children it is not going to happen."

The council says it has to act now to address the decrease in primary school pupils in West Swindon or there will be more than 680 empty school places by January 2009.

Garry Perkins (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms), cabinet member for children's services, said he understood parents were upset but that he had to look at the long-term situation.

"We have listened," he said. "We employed independent consultants.

"I know the school is exceptionally good but there is no reason why the same ethos can't apply at a new school."

He added that the announcement had to be made when it was but it had been preceded by discussions with the school.

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