The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
With reference to Springwell’s consultation meeting at the High School in Spalding (December 7) we feel the Academy would have gained invaluable insight had they openly engaged the local community at the very beginning, not the end, of the consultation process and it would have been helpful if Lincolnshire County Council had sent a representative.
We thank Phil Willott for taking the time, after the meeting, to discuss with us specific issues we raised regarding pupil safety at the site; as invited we now raise our additional concerns.
While the building itself may be highly desired by Springwell, the location in Matmore Gate is disastrous traffic-wise and being in very close proximity to a large waterway and easy access across to the dangerous A16 road.
Springwell has stressed the need for a highly secure environment for the safety of the children with virtually one-to-one staffing (plus ancillary staff) to aid this.
Also advising of individual taxis for the c.65 pupils and direct handover to staff members, yet the proposal is to cut parking spaces to just 30.
So, given the very high ratio of staff to students anticipated to be on site daily (plus taxis morning and afternoon) that will leave a large number of vehicles without parking facility. Are they to park on road along Matmore Gate thus extensively raising the dangers to Springwell’s pupils and the local community?
The children and young people are highly vulnerable, by nature of the issues which brings them to Springwell’s Academy, and as such are unable to cope in mainstream school or society.
Their problems are likely to be accompanied by states of high anxiety and possibly result in angry or psychotic-type episodes so securing their safety and wellbeing an absolute priority.
Yet before the school day even begins it is proposed to raise anxiety levels by negotiating a slalom of vehicles, busy with noise and other local pupils, to simply arrive at the school gate, despite timing.
It is also possible a student could slip past your cordon of care after which they are at risk of an unsuitable local environment of extensive car parking, housing estates, rivers, busy roads and open fields.
Safety may possibly be effected by erecting high fences and gates and a boundary security alarm system, similar to a prison, which we trust is against the principles of the Academy. A child taught in such an environment would never cope in open society and such measures would be totally inappropriate to the local community making our environment ugly and homes unsaleable.
The proposal of housing such an Academy at the Post-16 college site lacks informed Risk Assessment by all involved, for the safety of the Academy, local primary and High School pupils and the local community at large. This lack is indefensible.
We extend our invitation made to Mr Willott for him, and colleagues, to meet us to visit the area between 3pm-3.30pm on a school day, bearing in mind the parking and traffic issues will increase throughout the academic year as yet more High School pupils become of age to drive and thoughtlessly park their cars.
During this visit we offer our own driveway for parking of your vehicles so as not to increase the dangers in Matmore Gate.
We believe we speak for Springwell’s children and young people when we say “Care for us”…… CARE FOR US, and the community as a whole and choose a more appropriate site for your much needed school.
Name and address supplied
