Shawbury parents fear school 'takeover' in closure plan

Controversial proposals to close a north Shropshire primary school and merge it with another would actually be a "takeover", angry parents claimed today.

A shake-up of primary schools in Shawbury will be discussed at a public meeting tonight. Officials from Shropshire Council will be presenting their case for creating a single school in Shawbury.

It is proposed that Shawbury Primary and St Mary's will be merged on the current site of Shawbury School.

But parents at Shawbury warned the proposals would amount to a "takeover".

One, Tracy Roberts, said: "At the beginning of this month we were informed there was a possibility a merger between Shawbury Primary School and St Mary's School would be taking place.

"This in fairness I find understandable, but I am now of the opinion it will be a complete and utter takeover.

"A merger should be taking the best from each school and bringing them together, not taking everything St Mary's has to offer and nothing from Shawbury Primary."

Fellow campaigner Teresa Dow from the SOS Save Shawbury Primary School group said: "We were told this was a merger not a closure. We want the community of Shawbury brought together and let this be a happy, exciting time."

We believe the school should have a new name from September 2012 and have a new uniform that is not associated with either school.

"No consideration is given to our staff, who have worked relentlessly hard to bring our school forward over the last three years.

"St Mary's is a fantastic school and we would not wish to see it close either. We want a merger bringing together the assets, expertise and children on an equal playing field together."

She added that 52 people have signed a petition calling for a rethink of the proposals.

Shropshire Council wants to close Shawbury Primary School from August 31, 2012, and offer pupils a place at Shawbury St Mary's School, which would then be re-located from its current site to the site currently occupied by Shawbury Primary School.

By Tom Johannsen