'Could Try Harder ' they say, as campaign continues against amalgamating the Infant and Junior schools

Parents at Strand on the Green School have sent a 'Report Card' to Hounslow Local Authority telling them what they think of their plans to amalgamate the Junior and Infant Schools.

The 'report' which is not very favourable, comes as the Local Authority holds a succession of consultations with stakeholders and parents on the proposals to amalgamate the two schools and form a new school. Amongst the comments are 'Maths- Weak' a reference to the LA suggestion that it would save money by merging the schools.

Comments include praise for the leadership, teachers, and anger that the schools would lose their current Ofsted ratings and have to start again as a new School.

The school staff have called on parents, including past parents and pupils to sign the petition against amalgamating the two schools

This amalgamation would mean in effect, the closure of the schools and they reopening as a new primary school, possibly in January 2017, with over 700 children under one head teacher.

As well as the online one, there is a signed petition against the move and staff want parents, past parents and former students to join them in their campaign against the Council's proposal. Their campaign slogan is 'Two Heads Are Better Than One' and they have unveiled a large banner outside the school.

Sue Harrison, head teacher of Strand Junior School

Head Teacher of Strand Juniors, Sue Harrison said all members of staff were opposed to the plan - neither school wanted to amalgamate and it was not supported by the Governors.

"We have two good schools here with autonomy and we cannot see how any child can benefit - at the moment we have two different systems of assessment, and two different curriculums, plus geographically in terms of the school building, it would not work well."

The chair of the Governors has written to the Director of Education and the Leader of Hounslow Council, cllr Steve Curran, to express their dismay and concern.

In a letter to parents the school say: "We are opposed to the Local Authority's forced amalgamation as we feel it undermines the current staffing structure in the school and threatens staff stability; we believe the school should be focusing its energies into embedding the Swan Centre and the new curriculum and continuing to strive to improve the educational experiences and outcomes for all of our children.

"We are concerned that amalgamation would lead to an effective doubling in size of the school and a loss of its ethos, values and personal touch which we hold special".

The petition, which outlines their reasons for opposition to amalgamation also states that the two schools will lose their current Ofsted ranking, Outstanding (Infants) and Good (Juniors).

"If it ain't broke why fix it?", they comment.

The deadline to sign the petition is February 26th 2016. The informal consultation by the LA is set to run from January 8th 2016- Feb 26th, with a report to the Council cabinet set for April to discuss the outcomes. The final decision will be made by the Schools Inspector.

The decision by the LA to consider the move was triggered by the recent departure of the head of Strand Infant school, Mark Newton, who takes up an advisory post with the Diocese after Christmas.

January 30, 2016