Save Lapford Community Primary School Year 6

These are my little brothers- Dylan and Lucas and they attend a beautiful primary school, tiny and lovely in every way set in the hills of Devon in a village named Lapford. 

Lucas is set to move into his final primary school year in Year 6 in September, but whilst usually a child is excited to be 'the oldest ones in school' or to get added responsibilities or bonuses for your last year, school authorities have decided to take that away. 

Only a year, Lapford opted to merge with an academy school joined with 3 other smaller primaries and Chulmleigh Community College. 

Now a rash decision has been made to take Year 6's from Lapford, shove them on a bus to the main Chulmleigh Primary School and make them do their first year there.. all really for the sake of a bit of extra cash and some Ofsted grades. 

If the plan goes ahead, Lucas will be separated from his younger brother, removed from an environment he is used to, and will be forced to integrate into a new school eight miles away in his final and extremely crucial last year as a primary school kid. Not only this, but once the year is over, he will then have to move on AGAIN and integrate into a secondary school environment. 

My brother is a rather sensitive chap and he is getting on so well at his school and I really feel that the whole idea is a complete disaster. 

It really bugs me that people who get paid lots of money, make crappy decisions that affect the rest of us. If this was going on in my newspaper patch, I would really like to get behind them and get my teeth into this. Ludicrous decisions affecting those that matter. 

Warwick Mansell has recently got his teeth into this story naming his article: 

"Academy chains decide where children go to school"

"What can you do if you are told your child must move to a different school eight miles away? Not a lot, it seems, if the school is part of an academy chain"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/may/20/academies-schools-parental-choice?commentpage=1


The title says it all- so many schools in my patch are coming under this Academy name but what does it really mean, other than the fact that you are handing over your beautiful little village school to an organisation that thinks it's ideas are bigger and better than yours. 

I feel really sad about this situation, but parents including my dad and Becky are petitioning and trying their best to put a halt to the plans. 
You can search and like their Facebook page where they are currently rallying up support by searching- 'Save Lapford Community Primary School Year 6' or following this link: http://www.facebook.com/LSyr6 
On the page they write the following: 

Parents are incensed by the decision to take Year 6 children to Chulmleigh Primary for their education because:

CAT can provide no evidence that this approach will be educationally or financially beneficial

It will negatively impact on Lapford and East Worlington Year 6 children as they won't be able to take part in after school activities, community activities and they won't be spending their final year in their Primary School. In essence all other aspects of school life beyond educational attainment appear to have been overlooked

Lapford and East Worlington Year 6 children will undertake an unnecessary bus journey which will disrupt them, their siblings and their family life

There is a disproportionate impact on Lapford and East Worlington children, which highlights a lack of equality and fairness across the primary schools with the Academy chain

The needs and educational requirements for Years 3, 4 and 5 appear to have been completely ignored

It will make the school less attractive to prospective parents and therefore decrease the viability of the schools and that of the preschools as parents choose other preschools which feed into the primary school of their choice

Parental choice for their children to be educated at Lapford and East Worlington from age 4-11 has been removed

Parents have been appalled with the way in which the consultation took place, the lack of information given to parents to inform their view and the way in which they and the wider community have been completely ignored

Parents are worried by the CAT's lack of accountability, their disregard for transparency and lack of respect for parental voice

Parents have been astounded and disappointed by the attitude and tone of communications by the directors and some members of the senior leadership team. As a result, many parents have lost faith in the leadership and are deeply concerned that the welfare and wellbeing of the children are not a priority.

The story has even recently been sent to our Education Secretary Michael Gove: Lets hope this horrible situation has a happy ending and Mr Gove wakes up, stops thinking about numbers and starts thinking about the feelings of these children. 

SAVE YEAR 6: Children and parents with their petition at Lapford Community Primary School