NoToClosure

No-to-closure and commitment to preserve the island’s primary sector were the clear messages from a packed AGM on Friday night.

More than 100 parents, grandparents and carers packed into the school hall to share ideas and show their support for the school. Those that couldn’t attend were represented by friends to ensure their backing was also noted. Every seat was taken, with benches and gym equipment roped in leaving standing room only at a meeting that would normally be discussing discos and fayres.

Top of the agenda was challenging Education’s proposals and there was clear agreement on where its statements can be challenged and alternative evidence presented.

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Education originally published figures stating that there were 103 spaces available in St. Martin’s primary but has been forced to amend its figures down to between 40 and 50, less than half, to take into account the amount of physical space actually available. Director of Education Allan Brown made the admission at a public meeting last week.

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St Andrew’s PTA has prepared a 76-page response to the Education Department’s proposal to close their school. The report concludes with a bibliography of 67 external references supporting their counter arguments. St Andrew’s say that the FTP was not supposed to cut front-line services and that Education’s claimed savings are fundamentally flawed. For example, no account has been taken of the cost of training teachers to deal with larger schools or of monitoring the integration and wellbeing of former St Andrew’s pupils.

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To Donna Collenette St. Andrew’s Primary is much more than a school, it’s part of her extended family and has been there to help her and her loved ones through tragic times.

Donna’s eldest son Kyle (now 18) started at school in September 1999. He fell victim to changes made to catchment areas at the time and was expecting to go to Castel school with his friends. But, the teaching and support staff at St. Andrew’s went out of their way to ensure he settled in. The next year is brother Nathan joined him at the school. Nathan had turned 4 only days before starting school and again, it was the dedication and understanding of the staff that helped him adjust and learn at his own pace.

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All of the island’s school PTAs were invited to a meeting held on Thursday evening at St. Andrew’s School to discuss proposals to make radical changes to the island’s primary school system.

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