St James C of E Primary School Woodside Avenue N10

[StJamesParent]

As a parent of St James School I am angry and shocked at Haringey Councils proposal to increase intake from one form to three form entry, whilst attempting to SELL school land to developers to fund part of this expansion. Expansion = falling school standards + increase in traffic + increase in pollution + pupil alienation. If you are looking to bring in your child into St James C of E I would strongly recommend that you hold off and look else where. Over 85% of parents oppose expansion for many good reasons.

hi, it is very easy for you to say that as your child/ren are already at St James. what about those parents who often end up not having a school place? why don't you move your child out then and leave the school to those who don't mind going to school close to their houses? I am afraid this time the council is right and I am quite sure the expansion will go ahead...

Sorry I'm another one who feels this a positive thing. We live minutes from the school and still failed to gain a place as we didn't do our two years of church going. There is a big black hole of school places right around here and a local community school would be a great thing. I'm presuming lots of the cross parents are the ones I pass driving their kids to school each day while not actually living nearby. All change can be worrying but Coleridge parents seem pretty happy as do people at coldfall and Rhodes which are also bigger than usual schools.

So what are your good reasons? You've staten none here. If you're attempting to go out in a limb by naming the school have the common sense to back up your petty whinges.

You oppose it as you chose it and got in. You clearly like a small school. You are happy to sit pretty whilst huge numbers of others can't get a school place near their homes. All the schools near me are 3 form entry except one which has no space to grow. 3 form schools are often amazing. 90% walk to ours. The DC have huge opportunities and they are great community hubs. I would expect much sympathy OP as your assumptions are not factual

"Expansion = falling school standards + increase in traffic + increase in pollution + pupil alienation."

Why? Surely we could easily say Expansion = more income + more specialist teaching + more teaching space + happier pupils + better results!

Ultimately parents have very little or no say in this. If the area needs spaces and you are best placed to provide them, that is what will happen.

(I speak as a parent of a school currently undergoing major building work to expand. School is approaching it in a very positive manner and I have no doubt that it will work just fine.)

Thanks for alerting us on this. There is a consultation form on the Haringey Council website. The deadline is today but I actually printed and expressed my support for the expansion. my children are in a school that went from three to four forms and to be honest I did not get stressed at all, just happy that more children can get in. You are terribly selfish OP. did you also oppose the building of flats/houses in St Luke hospital? I bet you did. We need more housing, more schools and more services in this country especially in London.