Please please PLEASE sign our petition

[Farnhamparent]

I am a regular poster.
Please! We have around 30 children at reception age for 2011. We have all been refused our preferences and are being forced out of our village school catchment into a failed local school in special measures, due to a political agenda. The Head of the village school is supportive of our cause, but being ignored by the council.
The council are expanding this school in special measures because is becoming no longer viable. It will take at least 3 years to improve it, and throwing more children at it is illogical. It needs time to cope, improve, and this is NOT the time to double its intake.
We would actually accept any local school able to cope and offer a decent standard of education for our children.
We want to demand on behalf of all parents that a child should be able to go to his/her local school and have the opportunity to a good education.
PLEASE HELP US. You do not have to give your full address.

Doh......the link is
Petition

I'm not in your area so not sure how much good it will do but have signed anyway

I mean not sure how much good my signature will do, not how much good the petition will do. Just wanted to clarify I wasn't being negative about the petition, more about the weight of my signing it lol

Thank you for taking the time - it is much appreciated. Any signature will help - we aim to get in excess of 600 and have already made great progress as we have been campaigning with paper copies too.
Thank you again.

could you provide a little more information about the exact schools involved so we can make informed decisions about signing please

sorry! just read the link! I see it there now...

I've signed up as my Dad went to that school I think 60 odd years ago and I think my Mum did her teacher training their about 40 years ago, so plenty of family connection.

Thank you for your support - much appreciated.

Similar thing happened in our village last year. Petitioned city and county councils, MP and got the local newspapers onside. The village shopkeeper, whose son was one of the Reception Year refuseniks, led the campaign and eventually they were all given places. Just before the elections so it was good timing to lean hard on councillors and politicians. Difficult for school though because infrastructure not really set up for so many extra children.

They've since changed the priority to the village rather than the roads just outside which are within catchment and physically closer to school. Estate agents were flogging properties on the basis of proximity to this good school so twice as many families flocking to the area.

Kick up a big fuss and be tough. Very best of luck!

Hi, I am also a parent living in south Farnham. My child doesn't attend any of the schools involved here, but I really feel for you. I was concerned that we might have ended up being given Pilgrims Way, and at the time was mightily relieved that we got our 1st choice/closest school.
I also cannot understand why it has been decided PW has to take so many extra children in Sept given that no one wants their children to go there- the only thing I could think of was that I imagine they are throwing money at the school to try and get it out of special measures, and with all the cuts perhaps it has (unreasonably) been decided that the school has to take x number of children to justify the funds that it now has.
But I have also heard that the Bourne school is moving site, so there won't be a local village school to get these extra places at anyway? Is that right?
I would happily sign your petition as I do really sympathise, but I don't Think I quite understand the issue as I have heard the Bourne is merging with another school at a different site? (if that is right, sorry I am only speculating based on what I have heard at school gates!)

I have signed for you. I live hundreds of miles away but 100% agree with your sentiments that

"a child should be able to go to his/her local school and have the opportunity to a good education."

I have been fighting this cause in my village for at least 16 months now for totally different reasons (long story) but with the exact same aim. I value any support I get and so understand the need for it. I wish you the very very best of luck 'cos fighting the authorities is stressful, sleep depriving and bloody hard work but don't give up - it is your childrens education and is therefore time restrictive.

Thanks so much!
Isthreetoomany - the actual plan is that the Bourne school will merge with South Farnham. It doesn't involve a physical move. The Headteacher of South Farnham is acting head at the Bourne. I think the long term plan is for it to become an academy.
The simple facts are, although for obvious reasons they won't admit it in public, that the Council are trying to save a school that is failing and in decline, by not helping any expansion at any other local school.

I've signed. I live near to Farnham and actually did house hunt in Farnham at one point so am familiar with the schools in question. I feel for you, it's a bad situation to be in, hope u can resolve it.

Curtain would really like to know details of your situation last year if possible, eg school name and village so I can look up more about it. I am looking at similar situation this year where all children in my village have been refused catchment school (except siblings) and am trying to stir up support to challenge this.

Thanks