Devastated parents and children are campaigning to save a primary school lined up for closure after being placed in ‘special measures’. St Mary's RC Primary School, in Heaton Norris, Stockport, was deemed ‘inadequate’ - the lowest possible rating - following an Ofsted inspection last year.
It was ordered to convert to an academy, but the Diocese of Salford did not want to absorb the school into its trust, believing it to be ‘unviable’ due to the falling number of Catholic pupils. In November a council report also said it was forecasting a £50k deficit by the end of this financial year, although it is understood this has since improved.
The decision to close has prompted an outcry from parents, governors and councillors after the diocese effectively instructed them to launch a consultation on its closure. To date, more than 230 people have signed a petition calling for the school to be saved. Among parents calling for an urgent rethink is Amy Lambrakis, whose nine-year-old daughter Florence goes to the Roman Road school.
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“My daughter is absolutely devastated and so am I,” Amy, from Brinnington, told the MEN. “St Mary’s to me and my daughter has not just been a school - it’s been a support system. I went through some really hard times and I would honestly not be in the position I’m in now without them.
“They’ve been non-judgemental, they have been absolutely amazing - they have worked through not just Florence’s educational needs but her emotional needs as well. To make these children move after such a turbulent couple of years is just unfair - but all they are looking at is figures on a piece of paper.
“I’m not Catholic myself, but love the ethos of the school. It’s to help those people in need - they have just thrown us away.”
Amy says the school has made great progress since the Ofsted report - which came hot on the heels of the pandemic - and the decision needs to be looked at in light of the current circumstances.
“I’m just so upset - yet again it’s the people who need help the most that are not being heard - and to me it all comes down to money,” she said. "You would think after what happened with Covid we would be top priority.
“St Mary’s to me and my daughter has not just been a school - it’s been a support system. I went through some really hard times and I would honestly not be in the position I’m in now without them.”
Her views are shared by Monica Ferguson, a foundation governor at the school.
“There’s extreme poverty and this school supports families in so many ways,” she said - the Lancashire Hill estate where most pupils live is among the most deprived 1pc nationally.
“It’s not just the education of the children, it's the absolute survival of them - they provide food vouchers, they issue food parcels, clothing, they do so much social work there. Some parents suffer from mental health issues - all those problems are brought into school and, not sorted, but alleviated and the relevant agencies can help."
Like Amy, she stresses that the school is now in a ‘very different situation’ to the one it was 12 months ago. “We have a fantastic acting headteacher who has worked her socks off to get us to where we are now and a wonderful business manager who has done the same with finances,” she said.
Coun Amanda Peers, who represents the Brinnington and Central ward, is also backing the campaign. “In terms of its value to the community they provide so much more than education, they are a very valuable resource for parents,” she said.
“They are a lifeline for the Lancashire Hill estate, where the majority of children come from. For those children to enter a school that’s further away would put additional barriers in place.”
She also fears that issues with attendance would be made worse if children were forced to go to school further afield.
“We know the impact on children from deprived communities when they are moved to schools outside their area,” said Coun Peers. It’s a negative impact, it’s not a positive impact - that’s been seen in other areas.”
Coun Peers says that the school’s role within the community is more than just faith-driven. “Their ethos is to deliver Christian values beside education - and that has to extend beyond those who are of the Catholic faith,” she said.
“They should be looking at how they are going to encourage people to become active members of that church - closing down the school isn’t the answer.”
St Mary’s has thanked everyone who has responded to the consultation and supported the community to do so. A statement reads: “We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from families and members of the local community who have expressed real concern and anxiety about the future of our school.
“We understand the challenges that many of our parents and families face on a day to day basis and are acutely aware of the impact this process is having. We will continue to provide support wherever we can.”
It adds: “St Mary’s RC Primary school wants to remain, 'at the heart of this community' and so we want everyone’s voice to be heard.
Tim Bowman, director of education at Stockport council, said: “A consultation period started on December 12, 2022 and closes on January 15, 2023. We encourage responses during this consultation period via https://consultation.stockport.gov.uk/schools/proposal-to-close-of-st-marys/ “
Salford Diocese was contacted for comment.
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