Worcestershire News
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Closing this school makes me so angry
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| UNHAPPY: Former schools inspector Hugh Griffiths outside the award-winning primary school. |
A FORMER schools inspector has criticised Worcestershire County Council chiefs' "unspeakable behaviour" over a decision to shut an award-winning primary school.
Hugh Griffiths, who was an HMI (Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools) for more than a decade, has claimed the planned closure of Lickhill Primary School, Stourport, by Worcestershire County Council is based on flawed figures.
The county council's cabinet members agreed in April to close the school and expand the nearby Stourport Primary School on the former Lickhill Middle site.
Mr Griffiths has been aware of the closure threat for months because his wife Margaret Griffiths is Lickhill Primary's chairman of governors, but has now decided to voice his concerns.
He believes the school's new home is unsuitable for primary education and will threaten "extensive" existing nursery and wraparound care in place on both school sites.
Mr Griffiths, of Stourport, said: "I never got involved before but I have got so angry at their cabinet members' unspeakable behaviour on this issue."
The cabinet's decision needs to be ratified in July, but the doors are set to open at the new school building in September 2011.
Mr Griffiths, of Hafren Way, believes County Hall's plans to press ahead with an expanded two-form entry school are based on flawed sums.
He said: "If you look at the numbers, Stourport Primary is well over the intake for a one-form entry, it's more like 1.4. If you add the two schools together you will get a 2.4-form entry school.
"The county council says Stourport is going through a population bulge which will sort itself out, but I disagree."
The former middle school catered for 350 pupils at its peak while the expanded primary could have more than 450 on its rolls, according to Mr Griffiths.
He said a two-storey building with stairs was "unsuitable" for primary age children and pupils would have less play space at the former middle school site.
Liz Eyre, cabinet member for children and young people
services, said no designs for the new-build school existed yet.
She said the merger would create a "temporary bulge" in pupil numbers and confirmed mobile classrooms would be needed to initially cope.
Lickhill's board of governors are bidding for foundation status in a move to try to head off County Hall's closure plans.
7:07pm Thursday 8th May 2008
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