School issues torch ban

4:16pm Thursday 28th June 2012 in Local By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter

Sarah Ledger with daughter Sadie and son Ryan Sarah Ledger with daughter Sadie and son Ryan

A BASINGSTOKE secondary school has banned pupils from going to watch the Olympic Torch coming through their home town.

Students at Everest Community Academy will miss out on actually witnessing the historic moment after principal Julie Rose wrote to parents to say that no requests to take a child out of school on Wednesday, July 11, will be authorised. Instead, pupils will watch the relay on television.

However, one Basingstoke couple, who were disappointed by the decision, have decided to take their two children out of school any way to watch the historic relay.

Kevin Ledger, whose 12-year-old son Ryan and 14-year-old daughter Sadie, attend the Popley school, said: “I really feel this ban is such a let-down and it will be a disappointment to the many children who would like to see this once-in-a-lifetime event.

“It’s such a shame that the views of one person will mean all those children miss out. It’s not really in the spirit of the Olympic story.”

Mr Ledger and his wife Sarah, from Popley, want to take their whole family to see the relay. Their request to take their six-year-old daughter Zoe out of Marnel Community Infant School for the day was approved.

Mrs Ledger, 37, said: “Everest said they don’t think it was worthwhile. I sent an email to the head saying I wasn’t happy and I felt that the trip we planned had educational merits from the basis that it was historical and a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

A newsletter sent home to parents of Everest said: “My paramount concern is for the welfare of our children. I have spoken to headteachers and principals of schools that have already had the torch go through their area, and an overwhelming sense of disappointment has been expressed because it is such a brief moment and opportunities to see the torch are very limited.”

Ms Rose declined to speak to The Gazette further about the matter.

The Gazette has previously reported that schools were advised by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council not to take children to watch the relay because of a lack of space to accommodate them safely along the route, which runs from Winchester Road to Brighton Hill Roundabout.

But primary school headteachers have agreed to authorise absence for children whose parents request to take their children out of school for the day. Many secondary schools have also adopted the same policy, including Aldworth Science College in Western Way, Bishop Challoner Secondary School, in South Ham, and Brighton Hill Community College, in Brighton Way.

At The Vyne Community School, in South View, pupils have been given half a day off.

Headteacher Krista Dawkins asked parents if their child would like to see the torch relay, and she received an “overwhelming response” indicating they would. She wrote to parents to say: “As a result of the large numbers, the school will have a partial closure to allow your child to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event.”

Comments(27)

LouisepEnnie says...
4:39pm Thu 28 Jun 12

Sorry but this is once in a life time opportunity for children! They are coming to the end of term and I remember 2 weeks b4 the end of term all we did was play games watch DVDs so why not let them!

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THX 1138 says...
6:06pm Thu 28 Jun 12

Seems harsh considering the event takes place at lunchtime and near the end of term. I hardly think it would be a detriment to their education. Still, it will please all those "the Olympics are a waste of money" misery guts that have posted here recently!

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jondave says...
6:22pm Thu 28 Jun 12

St John's Primary is letting parents take children out, what makes Everest so special? I have no real interest in the Olympics or the Torch, but would never go round trying to stop people seeing it.

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martin65 says...
7:27pm Thu 28 Jun 12

I am not interested in the torch or the olympics but i think schools should all let their pupils see the torch in their home town.
Sport is not encouraged enough in schools and in an olympic year that should be changed.

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davescorpio0 says...
8:03am Fri 29 Jun 12

In my day our Headmaster would give us time off for important events in history,

Head teachers today are politicians with self interest, just look at the ex-head of Brighton Hill. If I were a parent of a child at Everest I would tell the head to stuff it and take my child out to see this once in a lifetime event. After all who is the torch relay for? All the people.

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Best_Name_Ever says...
9:39am Fri 29 Jun 12

Do you know what, I am starting to have some sympathy with the head teachers! Nothing they do is right for some. You have people complaining that it is wrong for children to be taken out of schools for holidays, one day special events, etc… during term time as it impacts upon their education and now it is wrong not to let them have a day out to watch the Olympic torch. I think head teachers should allow parents to take their children out of school whenever they want to and when the parents in question complain about the standard of their children’s education, point out that it entirely of the parents making. That should clear everything up nicely. Then next time we have events such as this, the Head Teachers will be able to give children the day off.

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Best_Name_Ever says...
9:40am Fri 29 Jun 12

...without fear of parental repercussions.

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News_hound says...
10:27am Fri 29 Jun 12

Students from Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College are being encouraged to support the event. Sports Ambassadors will be lining the route, two students will act as journalists to report on the torch relay and the college band will be playing at a nearby pub. The Headteacher is inviting parents to accompany their children along the route at Winchester Road. It is an important day for the people of Basingstoke.

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HC1 says...
11:21am Fri 29 Jun 12

Let them have the day off!!!!!....I didn't think kids from Popley went to school anyway.

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Keep_Calm_And_Comment says...
12:12pm Fri 29 Jun 12

I suspect this is nothing more than a self promoting headteacher, who has been constantly criticized for poor results and leadership, spinning for a publicity stunt. A kind of 'look how disciplined we are at our school' type of thing - which all local people know is cods-wallop.

I'm no fan of the Olympics, but let the kids make up their OWN minds and take time out if they want to see it. How about an impromtu 'teacher training day?' or 'strike'? That's when we see their true colours and interest in education.

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cfc_1981 says...
12:14pm Fri 29 Jun 12

@ HC1
same old prejudices..how dull

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PopleyResident says...
12:21pm Fri 29 Jun 12

OK, and then what will the headline be when some children go missing because they should be at school and the school has acted irresponsibly. Some people work full time and could not attend the torch run with there kids and have to use there annual leave for the school holidays. Also what if 90% of pupils suddenly take an interest in seeing the torch and only 10% of students turn up for school, that would be a waste of resources and money which again would generate some interesting headlines regarding wasting tax payers money....

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robertspet8 says...
12:27pm Fri 29 Jun 12

Best_Name_Ever wrote:
Do you know what, I am starting to have some sympathy with the head teachers! Nothing they do is right for some. You have people complaining that it is wrong for children to be taken out of schools for holidays, one day special events, etc… during term time as it impacts upon their education and now it is wrong not to let them have a day out to watch the Olympic torch. I think head teachers should allow parents to take their children out of school whenever they want to and when the parents in question complain about the standard of their children’s education, point out that it entirely of the parents making. That should clear everything up nicely. Then next time we have events such as this, the Head Teachers will be able to give children the day off.
I believe many of Basingstoke's head teachers, based on council advise, decided that it would not be safe for their schools to take the pupils en masse to watch the torch relay. But, sensibly, most heads decided that they would authorise all parents to take their children out of school to watch this historic event. This head not only seems to be out of step but also is not prepared to explain her decision further which will only create more interest from the media - was this her aim and does her decision have anything to do with the academy status of the school?
She does say that her concern is for the welfare of the children and that the spectators only get a brief opportunity for a glimpse of the torch. Wouldn't it be better for her to let the parents decide what is best for the welfare of their children. Also I seem to remember some schools even closing for the Tour de France - the torch will pass like a tortoise compared to the Tour's hare!!
The teaching staff of all Basingstoke schools cannot go to watch because they have to be in school to look after the children left behind. This is not fair on the teachers or children left in school.
Why the schools and council could not have made arrangements to safely escort all their pupils to watch this once in a lifetime event defeats me - other towns have managed it!!

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jondave says...
12:29pm Fri 29 Jun 12

Some people clearly getting in a tizz. The whole day off is not required, an extended lunch break would suffice, combined with permission to leave only with parental presence. Very simply and not disruptive. PopleyResident, we live in Popley and both work full time, we are in a very small minority in that respect!!

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offonone says...
2:46pm Fri 29 Jun 12

It seems a shame to miss this rare event, but if the school head will not budge, right or wrong, then a solution that could work for some is to consider where else locally the torch procession could be seen - on the evening of 10 July in the centre of Reading, for instance. Ok, not ideal, but it's out of school hours, after 'normal' working hours and not too far to go. And better than nowt! The argument may be about school in/flexibility; if it's about seeing the torch, then ...

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Keep_Calm_And_Comment says...
8:21am Sat 30 Jun 12

There was a suggestion that the school were doing this because of OFSTED.

If they authorise bulk absences it would look bad on the school, whereas if parents keep their children off in an unauthorised absence it has less impact.

Can't say if this is true or not - but it has a degree of plausibility to it given the awful history of the school.

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Theyouthmatters says...
8:48am Sat 30 Jun 12

News_hound wrote:
Students from Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College are being encouraged to support the event. Sports Ambassadors will be lining the route, two students will act as journalists to report on the torch relay and the college band will be playing at a nearby pub. The Headteacher is inviting parents to accompany their children along the route at Winchester Road. It is an important day for the people of Basingstoke.
To be hair the touch is running past like 45 Meters from the school... and they need to do stuff like that because the school is very unpopular and want's to attract more pupils.

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Theyouthmatters says...
8:51am Sat 30 Jun 12

Anyway the mum can't complain she was the one stupid enough to send her kids to one of the worse schools in the country... in fact 2 year's ago it got the 4th worst results in the country, 2 of the schools below shut down and the other was an Acadamy so it was the worse "Proper" school in the country.

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davescorpio0 says...
8:58am Sat 30 Jun 12

Maybe the teachers should go on strike that day.again
double standards again

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Best_Name_Ever says...
4:25pm Sat 30 Jun 12

Theyouthmatters wrote:
Anyway the mum can't complain she was the one stupid enough to send her kids to one of the worse schools in the country... in fact 2 year's ago it got the 4th worst results in the country, 2 of the schools below shut down and the other was an Acadamy so it was the worse "Proper" school in the country.
A bit unfair as not everybody has the luxury of being able to choose which school their child attends.

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Theyouthmatters says...
9:53am Sun 1 Jul 12

Best_Name_Ever wrote:
Theyouthmatters wrote:
Anyway the mum can't complain she was the one stupid enough to send her kids to one of the worse schools in the country... in fact 2 year's ago it got the 4th worst results in the country, 2 of the schools below shut down and the other was an Acadamy so it was the worse "Proper" school in the country.
A bit unfair as not everybody has the luxury of being able to choose which school their child attends.
Everest and Costello are the only schools that DON'T have supluss spaces...

and I was joking but come on...

not everyone can go at see it... it's no logistically possible.

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Trueblue46 says...
3:11pm Sun 1 Jul 12

As someone else has already pointed out, staff cannot take the day off. I would love to have been able to take my son to see the torch go through his home town but I have to work (in a school) instead. We have to accept that what ever decisions are made someone will lose out. At least the parents at Everest can choose to take their children out unauthorised, some of do not even have that 'luxury'.

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jondave says...
3:58pm Sun 1 Jul 12

Theyouthmatters wrote:
Anyway the mum can't complain she was the one stupid enough to send her kids to one of the worse schools in the country... in fact 2 year's ago it got the 4th worst results in the country, 2 of the schools below shut down and the other was an Acadamy so it was the worse "Proper" school in the country.
Wow, the worst school in the entire COUNTRY? That is bad!! Though the last Ofsted report rated it 3 overall which does put it ahead of Brighton Hill...

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Theyouthmatters says...
6:53pm Sun 1 Jul 12

jondave wrote:
Theyouthmatters wrote:
Anyway the mum can't complain she was the one stupid enough to send her kids to one of the worse schools in the country... in fact 2 year's ago it got the 4th worst results in the country, 2 of the schools below shut down and the other was an Acadamy so it was the worse "Proper" school in the country.
Wow, the worst school in the entire COUNTRY? That is bad!! Though the last Ofsted report rated it 3 overall which does put it ahead of Brighton Hill...
This is based on GCSE Inc English and Maths Results...
I mean 17% and they had like 88 pupils? that's pretty bad.

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Buster Preciation says...
11:48am Mon 2 Jul 12

I asked my boss if I could have the day off to watch the torch and he said no. I could however use one of my leave days. This torch thing has been on the calendar for ages - why couldn't schools have co-incided one of their 'training days' with it?

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Theyouthmatters says...
10:00pm Mon 2 Jul 12

Buster Preciation wrote:
I asked my boss if I could have the day off to watch the torch and he said no. I could however use one of my leave days. This torch thing has been on the calendar for ages - why couldn't schools have co-incided one of their 'training days' with it?
....
Because ACTUALLY the date was annouced after this date was planned.

they orginise the school dates around May June of the previous year.

and this was only annouced in like what March?

But I do feel having to many little buggers around would ruin it like in Coventry.

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Mr_Right says...
9:23pm Tue 3 Jul 12

What if every parent tried to take their child(ren) out of school? They'd all be empty. So what should head teachers do? Close the school for the day? What about those who aren't interested? Allow some parents (but not all) to take their children out? How would the decision on who could, or couldn't, remove their children be made? It seems to me they either have to say "everyone" (never going to happen) or "no one" - simply in the interests of fairness.

Either that, or pre-arrange school trips to let these children witness an event that none of us will see again in our lifetime - but how on earth will hundreds of school children be supervised amongst the crowds?

In this case, I think the head teachers have it right.

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