No to merging Ilminster and Connaught Schools; reject the approach of the Primary School Review

Two very clear and strong reasons why I am vigorously opposed to the merger of Ilminster School, where I went, and Connaught School, where my mum went, in Knowle/Knowle West and have from the beginning been opposed to the whole approach, creating fewer and bigger schools outlined in the current Primary School review being done by Bristol City Council. First, the letter above from today's Bristol Evening Post ' Why smaller schools are better', written by Gil Osman, which outlines why, educationally and socially, smaller schools are better.

Second, this story from the same paper on the same day 'Failing Bristol schools should be closed' which begins, 'A Government official has recommended Bristol City Council closes all its poor-performing primary schools.' This is an apalling and outrageous statement from a remote and anonymous official - what does this person really know about the needs and wishes of the local children, their families and communities and of the schools and their employees?? How is this approach supposed to motivate and support those teaching and those taught? The story goes on to illustrate well just how tightly central govt controls and directs what councils can do by attaching strict criteria to be met when applying for govt money. We need to stand up for local democracy and local communities and oppose diktats.

Newquay Rd playing fields...latest

Reporting back on submitting my e-petition on Saving Newquay Rd Playing Fields to the December BCC Cabinet meeting along with the question shown below. Whilst I welcome the recognition of the value of the open space I note that future plans for developing on them are not ruled out - and I dont welcome the amalgamation of the primary schools or the continued uncertainty surrounding what may happen as a result.

QUESTION A 1 Question from Glenn Vowles

Ilminster Avenue and Connaught Primary Schools / Newquay Road green space

What is the latest information on the [formerly?] proposed merger of Ilminster Ave and
Connaught Primary schools and what is the future of the associated playing fields/green
space off Newquay Rd given regeneration planning for the area?

Answer
On the 25th September 2008, Cabinet (CAB 21.9/08) approved a number of
recommendations concerning primary school provision within Bristol. Within the Extended
School Partnership (ESP) area S2, the amalgamation of Connaught Primary School and
Illminster Avenue Primary School in Phase 2 at two forms of entry was approved as a
Phase 2 project (2010-2013). The project was to be referred to the Knowle West
regeneration group to confirm preferred location and the impact on the wider regeneration
scheme.

A report has been commissioned from Cambridge Education Ltd to explore the options
available in light of the Knowle West regeneration consultation proposals. We are still
awaiting the report. Any possible merger of the Ilminster Avenue and Connaught primary
schools has been deferred pending the review by the specialist consultant. The
educational and developmental needs of local children will be paramount when it comes to
making a decision.

The Council have no plans to dispose of, or develop upon, the Newquay Rd playing fields
or adjacent children's playground. This open space is a valuable facility providing for play
and recreation for local people.

The 'Knowle West' area of South Bristol, in which these facilities are located, is expected
to benefit from substantial regeneration investment in future years as a result of the
'Knowle West Regeneration Framework' which is being put together with the help of local
people. This investment will improve local facilities and opportunities.

Support sport and healthy exercise on Knowle's green spaces!

I urge all readers of this blog to support sport and healthy exercise in local green spaces and sign the 'Save Newquay Rd Playing Fields' e-petition I've helped to organise (background to the issue here). Its supporters and promoters include Anita Pearce from the management committee of Eagle House Community Association, former Bristol City footballer Colston Gwyther who is running training sessions on the playing fields, and the kids, as represented by 10 yr old Kevin Pearce, in this part of Knowle and elsewhere who want to football train, get fit and enjoy green spaces. The petition reads:

We, the undersigned, petition Bristol City Council to abandon any plans to sell off the playing fields on Newquay Rd behind Ilminster School, taking them out of the education remit and Primary School Review process completely, recognizing that they are a valued, fully accessible public open space well used over many years, particularly for football and considering it as fully covered by the council’s Parks and Green Spaces Strategy.

I see that the appearance of the petition has already drawn this brief position statement from the council:

At present (6/11/08) there is no decision on the future of the Newquay Road playing field or the final impact of the primary review on the location of the new primary school to be created from the amalgamation of Illminster Avenue and Connaught. Any future plans will be subject to pre and statutory planning consultation.

Good to get noticed! I'm sure that many locals will strongly express their opinions about what should happen to these fields eg by signing the petition and I hope the council is listening.

Fears over feuding families scupper school merger plan | Bristol news

Fears over feuding families scupper school merger plan Bristol news

PLANS for a £6 million new primary school in Knowle West have been dropped after concerns a merged school may bring "warring" families together.
An independent report said the proposal to shut Ilminster Avenue and Connaught primaries and merge them in a new building was a bad idea.
The merger plan was announced two years ago in the council's Primary Review. People in the area immediately opposed the scheme, and eventually the council decided to commission consultants Cambridge Education to help find a way forward.
In their 90-page report, the consultants were critical of the proposal for many reasons.

Hardly a fair and balanced choice of headline by the Evening Post (which is also unfairly subheaded 'Scheme dropped after warning over tensions') but it suits the stereotype of Knowle West they always seem to have in mind. The consultants - very significantly - also said that the scheme would leave the area without enough primary school places and that not enough money had been allocated to building the proposed single, larger school. Also pretty significanly they outlined further community uses for the existing school buildings and proposed that such changes to schooling need local community support - but the Post chose to put the spotlight elsewhere. Its great that the merger idea has been dropped but why did the council have to employ consultants to reach this conclusion - why did they not listen to locals and campaigners instead?

No plans to build houses over football pitches on the Downs so why here in Knowle??

Bristol City Council really do have their eyes on flogging off green spaces in Knowle/Filwood - first Filwood Park was sold with most locals not informed and now the playing fields off Newquay Rd could go if they are sold as part of the Ilminster School site due the the primary school review (which I've banged on about as a very bad idea since the first public mention I saw of it in Feb this yr).

Its vital for kids health, wellbeing and development that they get plenty of fresh air and exercise yet the fields off Newquay Rd in Knowle may be sold off for housing development (details reported here, headline pictured left). The football that's been organised there by former Bristol City footballer Colston Gwyther for large numbers of kids is fantastic - it deserves wholehearted support from the council in place of the threat to the fields they are playing on. I dont see any plans to build over football pitches on the Downs so why here in Knowle??

Filwood's Councillor Chris Jackson does not seem to be up to speed on green spaces issues. In today's local paper he says this in the story about green spaces and the setting up of a local housing company,

"There's no question of selling off all the council-owned green space for housing. So far as I know, what has already been sold off is the full extent of what might happen."

Just sounds vague and not clued -up to me. Has he not seen the figures for all the thousands of houses that are to be built within Bristol's boundaries? Has he not heard that the council has already sold green spaces for housing in other parts of Bristol and that it has agreed the principle of selling off 2.4% (90 acres) of publicly owned green space (see details of green spaces petition I submitted to the council here)??

Local people will have to stay vigilant and involved if they want to protect their parks, green spaces and sports fields because they most certainly are potential building land! Its great to see that locals are ahead of the game and have put in statements and a paper petition with 200 signatures to the full council meeting of 14 Oct opposing the sale of Newquay Rd fields (there were also many statements about Filwood Park).

Anita Pearce from Eagle House Community Association said,

I represent the management committee of Eagle House Community Association.
The Council report and the Cabinet report recommend the amalgamation of
Ilminster School and Connaught School with both existing schools to be
demolished and one new school built. The report states that a new school will
cost £6m and asked the government for £4m. The Council is expecting to sell
the Ilminster School site for at least £2M. The report states that the size of the
school site is 26,344 sq metres.

This figure is wrong as it includes the land that is used by the community and
accessed from Newquay Road.

It is fully accessible at all times and includes a children’s play area. It has
already become established as public open space and therefore comes under
the Parks and Open Spaces strategy. It should not be included in your report as
a school site.

We ask you to remove this open space from the report and exclude it from the
calculations of the school site. We estimate that the open space is nearly a
hectare in size and so your figures should be reduced to 16,344 sq metres.
The community have been commended for its work with the local children by
organising junior football matches and training. These activities have had a
positive impact on reducing anti social behaviour and one of our local Councillors has recommended that more funds are made available to continue this work here and elsewhere.

Children and young people need activities to occupy them out of school and this
open space is invaluable. Please amend your report today before it goes to the
Government and agree that this land will be correctly allocated as open space for the future.

Ten yr old footballer Kevin Pearce read this out loud to the full council, gaining a round of applause,

Dear Council,

I am writing on behalf of all the children who use Newquay Rd Playing Field.
We do not want the council to sell it.

We use it every day to play football and other games.
We have started football training and have over 100 children under 12 registered.

We have had fun days to fundraise for our equipment new goal posts and nets
and bought new kits to play in. South West Roofing donated waterproof jackets
to us and Wates Living Space donated £300 and helped us prepare the pitch for
the match.

We have had a friendly tournament against Brislington and played the Salvation Army team on Saturday (we won both times!) We are on the front cover of the Knowledge newsletter.

We have had a couple of clean-up days and everyone came to help us cut all the
brambles and stinging nettles and then had a BBQ for everyone.

There is nothing else around here for us to do. We are not old enough to go in
the Youth Club so we play in the field.

We don’t want to hang around the streets getting into trouble and drugs like
some of the bigger kids.

So PLEASE let us keep our playing field.

Thank-you.

Ps Can you improve the play equipment in Newquay Rd Park please.

Former Bristol City footballer and local resident Colston Gwyther, pictured left in the local paper football training with Knowle kids said,

I live near the School and I am shocked to hear that you intend to knock down
Ilminster School and sell the land for housing and also at the same time sell
off our open space on Newquay Road. Children have been using this open
space for years and we have many junior teams playing football on the space.
Residents consider this to be public open space. The community have been
involved in the maintenance of this area and we have fundraised to get goal
posts fitted for junior football and we have had Neighbourhood Renewal
money to cut back the hedges and make the place more accessible for
people. The open space is fully accessible at all times.

We object to the sale of the Newquay Road Open space because we have
very little usable green space and a lot of children in the area. Instead of
selling our open space for housing you should invest more in the open space
so that the play equipment is better and make it more like a park.
This community have never considered the land off Newquay Road to be part
of the School . PLEASE KEEP OFF OUR OPEN SPACE.

Bristol primary schools axed

Two Bristol primaries axed...This is a shocking decision. Bristol City Council's Primary School Review should be totally reassessed. It shows scant regard for the quality of educational relationships and experiences that children and parents get at smaller schools.

There should indeed be an extraordinary meeting of the whole council organised. There should be a vote of no confidence in the current Labour Administration. All political parties should be planning how the city will be run and by what party or arrangement between the four parties if Labour loses the vote. I'd certainly vote against this leadership and administration.