St Martins education 'under threat' fear

A Shropshire councillor has warned that there is a real threat to secondary education in the St Martins area, and is calling for people to work together to find a solution.

Councillor Steve Davenport is urging the community to work together to ensure education is available in the village for future generations.

Shropshire Council has proposed a new "all-through" school for St Martins which would involve the closure of Ifton Heath Primary School, with children moving to the site of the Rhyn Park Secondary School.

It is part of a much wider consultation by Shropshire Council which is proposing the closure of seven other primary schools and Shrewsbury's Wakeman secondary school.

Last night, protesters claimed the decision on whether to close the Wakeman was "too important" to be judged by Shropshire Council's cabinet.

Diane Younger, the school's assistant head, made the comments at yesterday's public consultation meeting on county education cuts. More than 230 people attended the event in the Wakeman School hall.

However, Councillor Davenport is backing the plans for St Martins.

He said: "My vision is for an all-through school that parents want to send their children to because it has the highest educational standards.

"If these plans are successful the school could develop a new name and an identity that all of the children can be proud of.

"The community has to work together to ensure excellent education is available in the village for generations to come. People need to understand there is a real threat to keeping education in this area."