Councillor Clare Welsby, group leader of Ealing Green Party, writes about concerns over restructuring proposals and possible redundancies at Dairy Meadow Primary School in Southall.
“It was helpful for me as a newly elected councillor for Hanwell Broadway (including West Ealing) to attend the public meeting at Dairy Meadow School to listen to parents and the National Education Union (NEU) and staff express their concerns about planned compulsory redundancies, and the proposed introduction of mixed aged group classes (vertical teaching) as soon as September this year, amidst concerns about the school’s financial sustainably.
“I noted that NEU members at the meeting said they recognised the wider issue of falling pupil numbers across London, and this has the potential to be an issue for other schools in Ealing.
“It important to support parents whose children currently attend Dairy Meadow School and those that may in the future, and to recognise and act proactively to address the challenges a reduction in the number of school aged children living in the area may create for children, parents, schools and the local authority in Southall and more widely across Ealing. We are building more and more flats in Ealing, many in Southall but are these suitable and affordable for local families to enable them to stay in the area or move to Southall or other parts of Ealing.
“It is important that all involved can work together to ensure these challenges are well managed to avoid compulsory redundancies and work proactively to avoid locally untested new ways of teaching being introduced so quickly. One parent at the meeting said they did not want their child to be part of ‘an experiment’ in new ways of teaching. Many agreed.
“The timescale is a concern as children progress into new classes and year groups after the summer break and staff need to understand their role, and if they will still have one.
“During our Green Party campaigning and since being elected as Councillor a theme of decision makers not listening or working proactively in partnership to avoid difficulties arising is evident.”
