The Facts

You may not have children at your local school, but a decision to close and merge the two schools will greatly affect the kind of place in which we all live. We believe that none of the arguments that have been put forward in favour of a merger stand up to close scrutiny. So here they are, one-by-one.

• Declining Birth Rate
  Both Governing Bodies have been told that there is a declining birth rate and that in the long term, St. Mabyn school in particular will have fewer and fewer pupils. Yet there are plans to build a number of new homes for young families in St. Mabyn that will clearly generate greater pupil numbers. Likewise the Office for National Statistics has forecast a 10m increase in the UK population in the next 25 years. Clearly a 16% growth-rate will be felt even in rural Cornwall. In any event, the government has stated that birth-rates will increase again after 2009.
• Federation
  Another key point to consider when voting is federation. On 1st January 2010 St. Mabyn and St. Tudy will officially become a federation of two schools. This is an extremely good position to be in. Two great small schools managed under one headship in two vibrant villages. If a new school is to go ahead then the chance to reap the rewards of federation will have been missed. There is a great opportunity here that should be given the chance to show its effectiveness before any proposals of amalgamation or closure are considered.
• Buildings Fit For Purpose?
  St. Tudy School has already experienced growth in pupil numbers but has a problem with its buildings. But rather than building an entire new school, surely it makes more sense to re-vitalise the facilities it already has. It is said that a merged school would provide “greater value for money”, but only once it has cost several million pounds to build. The St. Tudy Playing Fields Trust have been highly proactive in asking Cornwall Council to consider a number of options for a new building to replace the existing school canteen which could include facilities that doesn’t just bring the school into the 21st century, but could also be used by other groups as well.
• Facilities
  Secondly are the more general arguments: a new school would surely have better facilities for children and staff. On this point the only logical response is “how will it improve the quality of education”? Both schools already have very good Ofsted reports. In 2007 St. Mabyn achieved an outstanding Ofsted judgement for the extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community so the partnership with the community is clearly recognised. The Sunday Times recently declared St. Tudy School to be one of the three best in Cornwall. Ofsted studies have also shown that nationally results at Key Stages 1 and 2 are significantly higher in small-school environments. Any parent watching at school drop-off will know that such a group of happy faces speaks volumes for their present environment and the commitment of their teachers.
• Location
  Next follow the practical arguments: where could a combined school be situated? Everyone locally is familiar with the main road at Longstone. Imagine 50 extra vehicles all trying to turn out onto the main road at 3:30pm. Yet is there anywhere else to build a joint school that wouldn’t be accessed down a narrow, single-track lane? And if the new school was built in either one of the two villages, the other would suffer.
• Role of Village Churches
  We believe it is the Diocese of Truro who are driving these proposals most enthusiastically. This is ironic given that the children at both schools are currently the principal users of the churches in both parishes. Removing the school from either village would render its church practically deserted.
• Impact on Community
  Finally there are the arguments that have not been made at all – the effect that closing a village-centre school has on the rest of its community. A village shop income can drop significantly without the twice-daily influx of parents, enough to wipe out slender profit margins. A Village Hall’s income is the next to suffer when pre-school groups wither away. There are all too many examples of villages that simply become a collection of houses when its amenities are taken away.

The children who currently attend our village schools are completely integrated into their communities; they understand that our villages are made up of all kinds of people. How do you give children a life-long community spirit when they are driven to a school away from their own village?