3.1 “Attending a school with a larger pupil roll will have educational benefits for the pupils currently at St Matthew’s Primary school. The learning opportunities and experiences will be significantly widened”.
The attainment levels in reading, writing and mathematics are as good, if not better, at St Matthew’s than the other two schools.
(Question 3)
What then are the educational benefits mentioned and what benefits will there be to the pupils already at St Thomas’ and St Brendan’s?
(1) “increased opportunities for pupils, including both curricular and extra-curricular activities”;
(Question 4)
What exactly are the increased opportunities that will be available and therefore not presently available at St Matthew’s?
As there will be no extra transport laid on, the pupils from Craigneuk and Wishawhill will not be able to participate in such extra-curricular activities before or after school.
(Question 5)
Surely in an area designated as the 13th most deprived in the whole of Scotland, it is totally wrong to further deprive those same pupils from participating fully in the extra-curricular activities that they presently enjoy at St Matthew’s?
3.2 “Overall the facilities in St Thomas’ Primary School and St Brendan’s Primary School are superior to those currently in St Matthew’s Primary School for delivering learning and teaching”.
The Council earlier classified St Brendan’s as “Very Poor” and St Thomas’ as “Poor”.
“There is also a right of way through the school grounds which raises safety concerns for staff and pupils”.
(Question 6)
How many safety incidents have taken place on the right of way over the last 54 years?
“St Matthew’s Primary is poorly located to serve its catchment area due to it being divided by the main Glasgow to London railway line and is accessible only by foot from the Craigneuk area
”
This statement is totally untrue.
The main Glasgow to London rail line is actually the dividing line between the Flemington/Muirhouse/Netherton area and Craigneuk and not at all within the St Matthew’s catchment area.
Anyone wishing to travel by car from Craigneuk can do so using the route via the Heathery Roundabout.
“St Thomas’ and St Brendan’s have good vehicle and pedestrian access and parking facilities”
Like other schools throughout North Lanarkshire, car parking and road safety remains a serious issue for pupils and staff alike at both schools.
3.5 “It is accepted that there is a need to substantially upgrade St Brendan’s and St Thomas’ Primary Schools. An allocation will be made from the capital budget in the future to accommodate these improvements. It is anticipated that a further review of provision will be required if there is large scale housing developments on the Ravenscraig site”
(Question 7)
How much of an allocation from the capital budget will be made to upgrade St Thomas’ and St Brendan’s?
(Question 8)
Will the allocation be made before the proposed closure of St Matthew’s in June this year?
The Council are aware that The Ravenscraig developers intend to submit a planning application to build a large scale development of both private and social housing on the site this year.
(Question 9)
Why has that potential development not been taken into account during this current review of education provision?
Transport to School
4.2 “Pupils resident in the St Matthew’s Primary School catchment area enrolling at St Thomas’ or St Brendan’s Primary School may be entitled to transport in accordance with the council’s policy. It provides free transport to those pupils living more than 1 mile from their zoned school or where a safer walking route is not available. Learning and Leisure Services will arrange for an assessment of the safer walking routes to the receiving schools and appropriate road crossing patrols will be established if considered necessary. This will be particularly important given the indirect access to St Brendan’s Primary School”.
At present no pupil of St Matthew’s needs to cross a main road to get to school and because of the safe journey routes, there is no need for a dedicated school crossing patrol.
I note that should St Matthew’s be closed, pupils MAY be entitled to free transport to their new school – but not necessarily guaranteed it.
The Council will be aware that there is access into the yard at St Thomas’ Primary School via a gate at Wishaw Sports Centre. Using this route from Craigneuk and Wishawhill will ensure that most of the present pupils will have to walk less than a mile to school.
(Question 10)
Would this route therefore ensure children would not be entitled to free transport?
(Question 11)
When will the Council make it known whether or not they consider children having to cross Glasgow Road (one of the busiest stretches of road in Lanarkshire) and having to navigate crossing adjacent to the ‘Heathery Roundabout’ to be a ‘safe walking route’?
There is no direct bus route from Craigneuk and Wishawhill to either St Thomas’ or St Brendan’s.
(Question 12)
How then would parents be able to play a full part in the schools’ parental activities if there are no bus services available to them to use?
At the moment it is possible for a pupil of St Matthew’s, for whatever reason, to come to school late. However, where there is only access to St Brendan’s or St Thomas’ using a school bus, that same child will be denied the opportunity of a days schooling.
In an area already identified as having social and economic challenges the last thing a child needs is to be kept off school simply because a parent or parents have overslept and have missed getting their child onto an 8.30am school bus.
Staffing
Section 4.3 - The document does not state how many non-teaching staff will lose their jobs as a result of the proposed closures.
(Question 13)
When will total job losses be known?
Class sizes
4.5 “The class sizes in the receiving schools will not necessarily be affected by the increased rolls”
Smaller class sizes are already being achieved in St Matthew’s.
(Question 14)
What is the estimate of how many children will find themselves in bigger class sizes after the proposed closure?
Future use of the building
(Question 15)
Bearing in mind the social and economic challenges of Craigneuk and Wishawhill, what action has the Council taken to explore the possibility of using the unused parts of St Matthew’s for other council services?
Financial Implications
At no point does the Consultative Document address the ongoing expenditure levels needed to relocate pupils from St Matthew’s.
Transport costs and school crossing patrols have not been costed.
The cost of upgrading St Brendan’s and St Thomas’ has been ignored.
(Question 16)
Where is the “efficiency saving of £169,100” on staffing to be made?
Summary
It is proposed to close St Matthew’s Primary School to save money, yet the financial costs of closure has not been addressed or explained.
I fully recognise the financial pressures on North Lanarkshire Council as they strive to make efficiency savings to their ever-stretching budget.
However, I do not believe it is right to target areas of deprivation such as Craigneuk, Wishawhill, Muirhouse, Gowkthrapple and Pather into a school closure programme, which will do nothing to advance social inclusion and the wellbeing of children from the area
St Matthew’s is an integral part of the Craigneuk and Wishawhill Commuity. It continues to be a focal point of parish and family life and deserves to be supported and nurtured through these difficult financial times.
Frank Roy MP
7 January 2010