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School gates demo to block Kings Heath expansion
| Published: 11th June 2010 23:09 |
Parents opposed to the expansion of a Kings Heath school are to stage a protest demonstration at the school gates.
They are trying to stop Birmingham City Council from doubling the size of Kings Heath Primary School, compared to the original plans for the site.
"We believe that it is no more in the interests of the additional 210 pupils than those in the current three-form intake to squeeze more children onto an already cramped site," says mum of three Clare Bell. She has a daughter in Year One and another child due to start in September.
"We urge the council to come up with more sustainable and creative solutions to increased demand for school places, by using sites large enough to cope with additional pupils."
Parents opposed to the expansion of Kings Heath Primary from three-form to four-form entry say the City Council's own study shows 19 out of 20 Birmingham schools have more room for expansion.
In a statement sent to AboutMyArea the Don't Squeeze KHPS campaign says:
- "The council proposes to build a two-storey block on the already over-crowded playground and their feasibility document acknowledges that ‘No additional hall provision has been included within the proposal and a shortfall in hall provision of 110sqm has been identified'. The school was built for 420 children; these proposals would double that number on the same size site. According to their own figures, 95% of Birmingham's community and voluntary-controlled primary schools are less cramped in terms of class size. The feasibility document acknowledges that ‘the proposed site is tightly planned and the extension reduces the play area significantly'. "
Kings Heath Primary is not the only local school to have council expansion plans forced upon it. Colmore School is to become four form entry from this September starting with a new temporary block to be built on a pupils' garden project during the summer holidays.
Colmore Infant and Junior head teachers say the city council decision is a fait accompli and there is no opportunity to fight the move. They are embracing the expansion as a way of getting new facilities for the school site.
Many parents are less happy, as both Kings Heath and Colmore were listed as three-form entry when parents applied for places earlier this year. "It will become a jungle of classrooms and building sites," said one Colmore parent.
While Colmore will be expanded from this September, Kings Heath has a little longer to try and block the move. A protest is to be held at the school on Wednesday, 16th June, between 8 and 9am.
For more information about opposition to the proposals, Kings Heath parent have set up a protest website.
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