Why we need to save our schools

Spent time this week with Tony Ballard of HC3 Community Church. HC3 meet at Horringer Court School and would like to build shared facilities on the site for use of the wider community. There is no community centre in that part of the Division, unlike in Southgate. And it shows. There is less going on, particularly for the young and the very old. B

Both Tony and the Head know this and aspire to develop the school into a hub for community action. However, the ongoing uncertainty around the Middle Schools is stalling anything major happening. At the moment, we don't know if the site will be adapted as a primary, an annexe to an Upper School or sold for development.

Of these three options, the last is the least palatable. For take away the school and you remove the only significant community resource in the area. The shops will close (they are already struggling) and the area will be simply a suburb.

This would be OK if it was an area without needs. But it isn't. Many old people live there, many not at all well off and often isolated. Young people have very little to do. Every area, and particularly those where there are social needs, needs institutions that are supported by the whole community. This is one such area.

So I am supporting HC3 and Horringer Court Middle School to fight for a future. A future in which, hopefully, there will be a Middle School on the site, or, failing that, a permanent school or community resource.