WHEN we are being made increasingly aware of our climate crisis and the impact our actions have on the future of our planet, I am concerned at the number of school buses I see each day transporting students outside of Basingstoke to areas such as Winchester and Alresford.

It is hard to understand why so many parents are now choosing to send their children to schools in Winchester and nearby when there are perfectly good schools within easy travel distance. Research has shown that able students thrive in Basingstoke schools compared to the performance of peers who commute. Aside from this the cost of travel must be prohibitive, it cannot be easy for children to attend after school activities and the likelihood is that friendships will be difficult to maintain outside of school hours.  

The knock-on effect of children being educated outside of Basingstoke is that children who do not attend school in Basingstoke are then more likely to opt to attend college outside of the town. We are again privileged to have two excellent further education colleges in the town; ‘Queen Mary’s College’ and ‘Basingstoke College of Technology’. We need the young people of Basingstoke to attend these colleges so that they can continue to thrive and provide excellent results.

When I was worrying about which secondary school to choose for my children the primary school headteacher said to me, “A child will succeed in any school providing they have the right family support.” Of course, parents need to carefully consider the school their child will attend and be confident the school can meet the child’s needs. But broadly speaking the secondary schools within Basingstoke all have the potential to provide a more than adequate education for any child that is prepared to be guided, supported and work hard. Most importantly parents must be prepared to engage and take responsibility for supporting their child, too.

Our local schools need the support and commitment of local people so that they can continue to provide an excellent service to the community of Basingstoke. Schools not only provide education for children but often they are a hub for activities out of school hours, from providing facilities for sports clubs to hosting girl guiding events and church services. Our local schools really are invaluable and help to make Basingstoke a great place to live.

We should be proud of our town, Basingstoke and the great schools we have within the town. We have many amenities, we are near to beautiful countryside and also have excellent links to main cities. All the schools in Basingstoke benefit from great outdoor space. I would urge you to think very carefully before sending your child to be educated outside of Basingstoke.

Basingstoke resident. Full name and address supplied.