Community rallies to help save Fort Hill Community School from potential closure

The governing body which runs Fort Hill Community School, in Winklebury, has requested an amalgamation with Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College (CBEC) due to the lack of numbers on the roll for the next academic year.

The news has been met with anger and frustration from parents whose children attend Fort Hill, stating it would leave the community without a local secondary school.

A petition has been set up to save the school arguing that “Winklebury deserves an excellent, local school”.

Figures show that for the next academic year, only 39 pupils submitted an application for Fort Hill out of the 145 places available in Year 7, while Cranbourne has also only been selected as a first preference by 47 youngsters so far.

Leader of the Basingstoke Labour group Cllr Paul Harvey said the proposal is a huge concern for people living in Winklebury.

He said: “Winklebury has been on the end of some rough decisions in recent times.

“They are already without a doctor’s surgery, so it would be terrible if these residents were to be without a local secondary school as well.”

Cllr Harvey continued: “We need to have all the facts of what the merger would mean. “What would happen to the staff ? What would happen to the Fort Hill site? These are all questions we need answers to.”

If the plan is approved Fort Hill will close on September 1, 2017.

Mother-of-two Ruth Cooper said it is unacceptable for her sons, who attend Fort Hill, to be expected to walk nearly an hour to CBEC.

She said: “Apparently they are not entitled to free bus passes as we are under three miles away.

“This will impact massively on the local area, with an increase of 100-plus cars trying to drop off and collect at CBEC adding to the congestion in Winchester Road.

“This is an accident waiting to happen.”

Mrs Cooper’s son Charlie, who is in Year 8 at Fort Hill, has taken it upon himself to get as many signatures as possible placed on the petition to save the school.

He has been going around the Winklebury and Rooksdown area, placing posters in shops as well as standing at the gates of both schools collecting signatures.

Others have taken to social media to air their disappointment.

David Potter posted on Facebook: “The county council knows that the projections for the years ahead show an increasing demand for secondary places in the borough.

“All schools can provide excellent education provision, providing they are supported with resources.”

Helen Patrick added: “It’s a huge shame. I have two children who are doing so well there, with a dedicated staff team who work so hard.

“We all need to fight together and respond to the consultation to keep this school open.”

Winklebury ward councillor Cllr Laura Edwards said: “We need to make sure that the students don’t suffer, especially those who are about to sit their GCSEs, as they don’t need the added stress of going to a new school, making new friends while sitting their exams.

“One thing I have asked county and will make sure of if the school is closed is that a free bus service is put on from Winklebury, not just a re-routed Stagecoach service, it needs to be a dedicated school bus.”

If it is agreed that an amalgamation should go ahead, the schools would be combined at the CBEC site, in Wessex Close.

The letter from the county council to parents stated the chair of governors John Crawford requested the merger because “low numbers, when combined with a reduced budget, limits a school’s ability to provide an appropriately-broad curriculum and extra-curricular offer”.

A letter from headteacher of Fort Hill Vicky Essex said: “These are challenging times for the school and our community.

“We have always prided ourselves on being a small school and the advantages this can offer.

“However, there will come a point in the very near future that dwindling student numbers mean it will become increasingly difficult to continue to offer future students the high standard of education they deserve.”

She added: “I understand that this news may come as a shock to you and would like to emphasise that, at the moment, we are at the consultation stage and the local authority would like to hear your views on the proposed amalgamation of this school with Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College.”

If Fort Hill were to close it would mean the 500-plus pupils on the school roll would either have to find a different school or find a way to travel to CBEC.

Deputy leader of the Labour group and Brookvale and Kings Furlong ward councillor Cllr Michael Westbrook said the proposed closure would impact his ward with more parents and pupils coming to CBEC.

He said: “This will obviously be of concern to my residents as it has the potential to impact on local people in a number of ways, for example on street parking and congestion.”

Councillor Peter Edgar, executive member for education at the county council, said: “From what I have seen of the position of both schools, it is clear that action must be taken.

“The proposal, from the federation’s governing body, to amalgamate both schools seems to me to be a practical proposal.

“However, it is imperative that we consult with parents, staff and the community in order to collect a range of views before making any final decisions. As part of this process, it is important also to consider other possible options.”

The consultation will run until March 2, with a number of dropin events during this period. These will be at Fort Hill, on February 8, from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, at CBEC on February 9, at the same time and Westside Community Centre on February 15 from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. You can also give your views online by visiting hants.gov.uk/ aboutthecouncil/haveyoursay/ consultations/forthillandcbec.

At the time of publication, the petition has had more than 800 signatures. To sign, visit change.org/p/hampshire-countycouncil-s-executive-member-foreducation-councillor-peter-edgarsave-fort-hill-community-schoolwinklebury-basingstoke.