School's fate to be decided

Heart-rending speeches were made to independent schools adjudicator Alan Parker, called in to decide on the future of Fishersgate First and Manor Hall First and Manor Hall Middle schools in Southwick.

The school organisation committee had been unable to unanimously support or reject the plan to close Fishersgate First, and turn Manor Hall First into an infants school and Manor Hall Middle into a junior school, at a meeting in September.

The proposal is part of a major reorganisation of first and middle schools in Adur by West Sussex County Council, which announced plans last year to change the age children transfer to secondary school from the current 12 to 11.

This meant closing three schools in Adur and merging others into primary schools from September, 2008.

Most of the reorganisation was approved by the committee, apart from the Fishersgate and Manor Hall First and Middle proposals.

At the meeting at Fishersgate First School, campaigner and parent governor Elaine Ross, who has two children at the school, told Mr Parker: "I feel that closing the school would close down Fishersgate.

"It is at the heart of the community, pumping life around it. Fishersgate is a deprived area. Don't deprive the children of a wonderful school."

Adur district councillor for South-wick and Fishersgate, Janet Mockridge, said: "The only reason to close the school is to save money, but bigger is not always better. Children aged four will have to walk two miles to school in Southwick if Fishersgate First is closed. It is ridiculous."

Parents told Mr Parker that they were doubtful that county council plans to support a walking bus to help the children get to school in Southwick would work.

The county council says falling pupil numbers and a surplus of school places means it is no longer viable to keep Fishersgate First open.

It plans to build a children's centre, offering nursery provision, health and child care services and other support to families on the site of the school.

Sally Willson, chairman of governors at Fishersgate, said: "We would love a children's centre here, but attached to the school.

"The school has been recognised nationally for its flexible, hands-on curriculum, which has been tailored to suit each child's needs.

"Many of our children have special needs and they need extra support which they get at a small school like ours. Fishersgate is geographically isolated and deprived.

"It has lost its church, post office, two shops and community centre. The school really is the heart of the community, offering adult education and filling the vacuum left when the community centre was burnt down.

"The school celebrated its 70th birthday in September and, when it opened in 1936, it was the only purpose-built nursery and infants school, with children coming here from miles away. There is no reason why it can't be here for another 70 years."

Mr Parker told the meeting that he hoped to come to a decision about the school by the end of this month.

He then went on to chair a meeting at Manor Hall Middle School.

Manor Hall First School wants Fishersgate First School kept open and for its school to become an infants and Manor Hall Middle to be a junior school, while Manor Hall Middle School wants all three to be merged into a primary on its site.