What can I say. A fantastic school. In my view the teaching staff quality is second to none. Discipline is excellent and a fun and learning time is had by all. I think, from listening to moans and groans, that the biggest problem people have is with parking. Now this is true for nearly every school in the country. It is easy to say "inconsiderate parents" and to some extent that is true. However most parents these days have to juggle a busy work schedule around school pick-up times and a couple of minutes late for work every day could mean the difference between a job and no job.. OK that's enough of me trying to make excuses. Perhaps setting the alarm clock 15 minutes earlier may help :-) That said, the times I have been fortunate enough to do the morning drop-off or evening pickup I have NEVER experienced inconsiderate parking. Of course that doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but I think sometimes local residents, who perhaps haven't got the big things in life to worry about, do get a bit too hot under the collar. It's 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon, maybe 30 minutes. It's not like it's constant! The school has been there longer than most residents. The traffic has always been there. It might not seem like it has. But it has.
Which brings me on to the proposed school expansion. Time for a reality check. There are not enough kids in the village to make the school viable without taking children from 'out of the area'. The school would close. Period. So, that given, those interested in preserving village life should embrace anything that makes a school in our village more secure. That means bigger. It's economies of scale. End of reason 1. Reason 2. In my view, it is far better for kids to be taught in their year groups. This is because I think that confidence is everything in life, and no matter how it is dressed up, kids 'held back' will have their confidence knocked. Small year group classes would be great, but it's not going to happen. 30 in a class, the legal maximum.
Oh oh (throw hands in air) but the parking and traffic will get so much worse..... The lane is already at capacity. How can it get worse??? There is actually a very simple answer. Have the Parish Council pay to have some plastic matting to cover a part of the Lees opposite the Chequers. The grass, within 1 season, will cover it, but it will provide parking. Put parking restrictions along church lane during school drop-off and pick-up time.
At the end of the day, we live in a village. The school is part of the village, it always has been. Please please think before you moan...
