Morale low at merger plan Shawbury schools

Pupil and staff morale at two Shropshire primary schools has plummeted since controversial merger plans were announced, a meeting heard.

Proposals to create a single school in Shawbury by combining Shawbury Primary School and St Mary's Primary School on the Shawbury Primary site are among proposals being tabled by Shropshire Council.

However at a packed meeting of about 80 people at Shawbury Primary School last night, Shirehall education chiefs were criticised by parents at both schools over the handling of the proposals.

One parent claimed the confusion was "driving a divide down the middle of the community" and another raised fears about more children having to cross the busy A53 road to get to school.

St Mary's parent Sharon Ricci said: "We have children who are now deciding they don't want to go into school. If a four-year-old has just started at school their whole routine, which children rely on, is going to be put out.

"Child morale is very low and teachers' is too. It also has a very big impact on them."

David Taylor, Shropshire Council's director of children's services, said the proposal to merge the schools would enable the building of a £700,000 four-classroom extension on council-owned land.

Redeveloping the St Mary's site instead could be complicated because parcels of surrounding land belonged to the Ministry of Defence, he added.

But he refused to reveal the estimated land value of both council-owned sites as it was "commercially sensitive".

Mr Taylor said there would be no staff redundancies because the format of the merger would not require employees to re-apply for jobs.

He said: "Our recommendation to the governing body of the new school would be for them to take the staff in their entirety with no redundancies. I have apologised to the staff for any unease caused by the proposal."

Meanwhile, people will today have a chance to have their say about plans to shake up a north Shropshire school.

Shropshire Council is proposing to extend Buntingsdale Infant School, near Market Drayton, into a full primary. A report to Shropshire Council's cabinet says the school almost exclusively serves the military base at Tern Hill and has 35 pupils on roll in a building with 87 places.

A consultation event on proposals will be held at Buntingsdale Infant School at 6.30pm tonight.

By Tom Johannsen