I came across this thread via a Facebook post. We know families at longacre and it’s incredibly sad for the whole community and I really hope something can be done.
What concerns me though, is how quickly speculation about many other schools, including Barrow Hills, has started to appear. Comments like these can take on a life of their own and cause real harm. I’m sure none of us want to see more families put through what the Longacre community is facing.
We’ve had children at Barrow Hills for six years, and while parents aren’t privy to the background of the merger with Longacre, what we do see every day is a school that feels strong. There’s a steady flow of new pupils joining, they always seem to settle quickly due to the school being such a warm environment, and the community feels very much alive. We just had the biggest school production to date, so large it had to be held at King Edward’s because the Barrow Hills stage couldn’t accommodate the number of children and families involved in these year groups. It definitely doesn’t feel like a school in decline.
I completely understand the anxiety right now, but I hope we can all be mindful of how easily speculation spreads. Sharing genuine experience is helpful; fuelling rumours, even unintentionally, risks creating uncertainty for children. As others have said; absolutely do your due diligence when choosing a school but please talk to those with genuine experience not rumour.