Parents shocked by closure threat (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Parents shocked by closure threat

12:00pm Monday 12th October 2009 in News By Emily Roberts

Chineham Park Primary School faces closure threat

PARENTS reacted with shock and anger after hearing the news that Chineham Park Primary School’s days could be numbered.

As reported on The Gazette website, Hampshire County Council education chief Councillor David Kirk will decide this Thursday on whether consultation should start on the closure of the school.

The school, in Shakespeare Road, Popley, was put into special measures in January this year - but it has failed to make sufficient progress since the last Ofsted inspection.

Inspectors found the school was not providing an acceptable standard of education for pupils.

Many parents found out about the closure threat through the media before they arrived to drop off or pick up their children on Friday.

They were given letters, written by head teacher Gwen Clifford, outlining the crisis.

Ryan Wheatley, 23, of Oakridge was comforting his daughter who was in tears outside the school gates after hearing that her school may be shut.

He said: “I’m in shock. I didn’t know anything about it. We have never had a problem with the school. My daughter is two years above her reading age because of them. We were given this letter but they won’t tell us anything. We weren’t allowed into reception and no one would speak to us.”

For more on this story, see the Monday Gazette.