Council 'reneged' on St Martins school pledge, claim

Shropshire Council has reneged on its pledge to give primary school children in St Martins facilities at least as good as they have now when they move to a proposed all-through school, governors have claimed.

Architect's drawings for the school for three to 19-year-olds show the younger children housed in "a little annexe around the back" in smaller classrooms than at their Ifton Heath School.

Governors, staff and parents are protesting against proposals to close Ifton Heath and create a new, all-through school on the Rhyn Park secondary school site.

Councillors will meet at Shirehall tomorrow to debate the closure of Ifton Heath and four other primary schools.

Objectors will travel by bus from St Martins to the cabinet meeting.

Governors say Shropshire Council's director of people's services, David Taylor, pledged at a public meeting that any new setting for the school would need to be at least as good as current facilities.

Headteacher Nicola Bradley said: "We have been offered far smaller accommodation, much less outdoor space and a reduced number of rooms. We currently have very big, spacious grounds with a forest school area and an outdoor drama stage."

Chairman of governors Julian Cattley added: "What is suggested is totally unremarkable and the only new build would be for secondary school pupils. There is no 'wow' factor."

Mr Taylor said: "We are working closely with all of the schools concerned and are discussing any points that they have raised with us directly."