School's urgent plea for crossing patrol to keep kids safe on Birkdale

Despite an urgent appeal Little Common School has been unable to find anyone to take on the job.

This means from Easter, there will be no crossing patrol to help keep children safe on Birkdale in the morning.

Crossing patrol staff are employed by East Sussex County Council, but Little Common has worked hard to promote the vacancy to the local community, by sending out an appeal to parents and carers and putting posters up in local businesses.

Headteacher Linda Appleby said: “This road is particularly hazardous to cross unsupervised, as there is unrestricted parking on both sides of the road which often leads to congestion and it is a main bus route.

“Unfortunately our staff are not allowed to provide temporary cover and we therefore desperately need someone to come forward to fill this role.”

She added: “We hope that this article will reach a wider audience and someone will come forwards to take on this very important community role.

“The full details of the working hours and pay are on the school’s website at www.littlecommonschool.co.uk, or for an informal discussion, please contact Peter Hooper, area supervisor, on 07786 171462.”

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: “We have two sites near Little Common School which meet the criteria for a crossing patrol.

“The post of crossing patrol at the first site, in Little Common Road, has been vacant since the lollipop lady working there, Molly Rumsey, sadly passed away in November 2015.

“The second site, in Birkdale, is staffed but after the Easter holidays the lollipop man who has been working there will be moving to a different post much nearer to his home.

“We have appointed a new crossing patrol who will work at this location in the afternoons from after the Easter holidays, but the role of morning crossing patrol duties there remains vacant, as does the post in Little Common Road.”

He added that the council will continue to work with and support the school.

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