Parents were left outraged and distressed by a public meeting to discuss the controversial closure of a high achieving primary school in Lambeth.
St John the Divine Primary school, Camberwell, housed the consultation on Friday regarding Lambeth Council’s ongoing plans to close the site and merge the primary school with Christ Church Primary in Brixton.
The meeting was met with a distressed response from those in attendance, who felt the council only cared about financial statistics and not the pupil’s wellbeing.
Parent Rebecca Chapman said: “Lambeth say they’re about social justice, you say you want the kids to be safe.
“You know, closing this, amalgamating this, it would be against everything Lambeth represents.
“Please don’t do this, please don’t break our hearts and rip the heart out of this community.
“You know we would move heaven and earth to keep this school as it is.”
The passionate, hour-long meeting had a high level of attendance by parents, teachers and students, with people packed into the corridors after the school hall reached capacity.
Parent Mohammad Ibrahim began the meeting with a speech that caused an eruption in the room, exclaiming his frustration towards the council.
Ibrahim said: “We elected you people to serve us, to help us, to guide us.
“More than 100 children, are sat there and it is, from my observation, one of the best schools around this area. So we will not give up like you but you need to work together, work with us.”
Abrilli Phillip, head of education for Lambeth, responded by explaining there is a shortage of school pupils across London, with the equivalent of 21 empty schools in Lambeth, the biggest vacancy of everywhere in London.
The shortage is causing an unsustainable surplus of places in schools and by law, the council must manage this issue to ensure efficient education across the borough.
In response to Phillip’s statement, parent Sarah Tucker questioned why St John the Divine is being merged, as the school has one of the lowest expenditures out of the Church of England schools in Lambeth.
The audience met her speech with applause but were keen to return to the subject of their children’s mental health.
Parent Melanie Rodney-Dyer asked: “What about the children? This all seems to be about money, what about the children? When are you going to hear their voices?”
A person in the room shouted out that Lambeth “don’t want our kids to progress in life” and the hall applauded.
Andrew Carter, strategic director of children’s services, acknowledged that the council cannot possibly know the community like the school does and explained they are here to listen.
Nazmin Rahman, parent, said: “I just want to hear that you know the area, you know what the school is doing, what it’s done, and what the impact would be.”
As the public meeting drew to a close, parents were unhappy with the council’s responses to their questions and told the council that Lambeth would lose more pupil numbers as many of their children would be sent to Southwark schools instead.
Chapman added: “I understand it’s a numbers issue, but shouldn’t it be about quality of education, but also about what Lambeth is going to give to our children, not what it will get?
“I’ve had three sons come through this school, one of whom with really difficult special needs.
“We picked here because this school is worth saving, the education was outstanding.”
Lambeth Council’s consultation on primary school changes, including the possible closure of St John the Divine, runs until 7 October.
Ben Kind, Lambeth’s cabinet member for children and families, said: “We’ve engaged with our communities in shaping these proposals, and their feedback has been crucial.
“The council has also written to the Government, calling for immediate support to help safeguard the future of Lambeth’s schools.
“We urgently need the Government to recognise the severity of this situation and provide the backing our schools deserve.
“However, Lambeth Council has a responsibility to act now, to prevent the situation getting worse and to protect the future of Lambeth’s schools.
“We’re building on the action we have taken over several years and must act now to stop debts mounting and school’s futures being put in jeopardy.”
To respond to the consultation click here.
Featured image courtesy of St John the Divine Primary
