Join Our Mailing List
To receive regular updates on the progress of our campaign, join our Google group. Simply enter your email address below:Help us save our popular and outstanding community school from closure
Swanage First School lies in the heart of its community and has served five generations of residents in 112 years. According to the latest Ofsted report it is 'an outstanding school which gives pupils a very high quality, all-round education'. This puts us in the top 13 per cent of primary schools in the country. It is a popular school and is oversubscribed this year.
Despite this we are threatened with closure.
Read our document about the effect of school closures on the community here
Read our 'Three tier to two tier' fact sheet here
Click on the 'play' symbol below to listen to our protest song written and performed by Paul Mackney.
Right click on the title to save it to your computer! (9mb, 3:34)
Save Swanage First School Protest Song
WHO WANTS TO CLOSE OUR SCHOOL?
Dorset County Council has been asked by the Government to look at surplus school capacity in Purbeck. The Council's Education Department have decided that a move from the current three-tier (first, middle and upper schools) to a two-tier system (primary and secondary schools) is the best way to remove spare capacity.
The Purbeck Review Body have consulted with head teachers, chairs of governors and the Anglican and Roman Catholic church dioceses behind closed doors. They have come up with a proposal, which they are now putting forward for public consultation.
The plan is to close all middle schools in Purbeck and turn most first schools into primary schools.
They want to close Swanage First School and St Mark's school in Herston and open a new primary school in either a new or refurbished building on the Middle School site in Herston. St Mary's is to be given the option of taking over our Mount Scar site.
You will also notice that in the proposal each school in Purbeck has its own dedicated section, except for Swanage First School and St Mark's, which are lumped together as if they are already merged. We do not see why this was necessary.
We feel the reasons for each closure should have been discussed separately. There are no reasons given for the closure of either school.
OUR ARGUMENTS
There are many reasons why the proposal is flawed but here we list six main points. Please click on the links to read more.
Standards Closing an existing outstanding school to build a new untested one makes no sense for our children. More
Loss of community We object absolutely to moving from the Mount Scar site. It removes the school from the heart of the community, which it has served for 112 years. More
Wrong location The Middle School campus is not appropriate for children as young as four, whereas the Mount Scar site was once a primary school. More
Harmful to the environment Getting children to school and back would be much more difficult. The move would increase car use dramatically. More
Less choice for parents We do not want to move from Mount Scar. But even if a new school were opened on the Middle School site it might not be a community school. More
Lack of involvement We feel parents have not been involved at an early enough stage and are not being presented with any alternatives. More
WHAT CAN WE DO TO STOP THIS?
Local Authorities have a duty to ‘respect parents' wishes by seeking to match school places with parental choices.’ (Department for Children, Schools and Families) so we do have power as parents of children at an outstanding community school.
Have a look at the 'What You Can Do' section of this website for tips on how to make your voice heard most effectively.
Let's work together to save Swanage First School!
Please keep checking this website. We'll try to put up all the news and suggestions we have. If you would like to receive email updates on the progress of our campaign please enter your email address in the box on the left and press the 'go' button to join our mailing list.
This site is maintained and updated by the staff, governors and parents association of Swanage First School - if you can offer any help or expertise or would just like to assist with the campaign, please let us know. Thank you.