Parents united for schools

7:11am Fri Jul 16, 2010

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Parents angered by a decision to scrap a multi-million pound transformation of their children’s school are urging people to join their fight to improve secondary education in Newark.

A group of parents at The Grove School, Balderton, is holding a public meeting there on Monday.

They say it is an issue for the whole town and want everyone to be involved, including parents at the Newark Orchard School and Magnus School, Newark.

All three schools lost out in the Government’s decision to scrap the Building Schools for the Future programme.

On Monday the MP for Newark, Mr Patrick Mercer, secured a visit to the town by a Government minister to discuss what would now happen to the schools, which all need major investment.

A representative of the group that has organised Monday’s meeting, Mrs Pamela Durney, of London Road, Balderton, said: “If we allow our local schools to decline it is bad news for the whole community and the whole town.

“It drags the town down if we haven’t got quality schools to educate our young people.

“On the upside if we do [have quality schools] it raises the morale of the area, the standard of young people coming through for employment, and attracts people who can contribute to the community.”

The group wants people in positions of authority and influence to back their campaign and support them in their efforts.

Mrs Durney, who has a 14-year-old son at the Grove, said everyone should be entitled to a good education at their local school.

“It’s time we stood up to be counted and fought for it,” she said.

Mrs Durney said the withdrawal of the BSF programme could either be the start of a downward spiral or a motivation to do something about it.

“What looks like a devastating blow could be a turning point and bring out good for our local schools,” she said.

The group hopes to draw three things out of the meeting — people’s concerns, their suggestions, and what they are willing to do.

It will start at 6.30pm in the Grove’s Richmond House room.

Mrs Durney said there was anger over the decision to scrap BSF. She said pupils involved in the project were disappointed and despondent.

“Their ideas, their hopes and aspirations have all been built up and that has just been taken away,” she said.

Mrs Durney said she understood the difficult financial situation the Government faced but felt those who were most vulnerable were being hit.