Outrage is growing at the recent proposal to close Farnham Primary School and to open a new school in Stansted in an old shell of a building on St. John’s Road. At last night’s annual parish meeting in Stansted the local county councillor, Ray Gooding, who is also county cabinet member for schools, laid the responsibility for the proposal at the feet of the Anglican Church diocese and the governors of the school. He seemed to distance Essex County Council from what has been called a school relocation; not a closure and new opening.

Cllr Gooding sympathised with parents at the small village school in Farnham. He said that parents were concerned that a new school in Stansted will lead to the loss of children from the small school in the smaller village. Some pupils at Farnham Primary School live in Stansted, yet I hear they attend the small village school because they think a small school suits their children. In which case, why would the children willingly be moved to yet another potentially large school in Stansted?

None of this makes much sense. Who is telling the truth?

I have it on good authority that last year the school governors approached Essex County Council about marketing Farnham Primary because it has spare capacity and can take more children. The county council – perhaps after dialogue with the Anglican diocese – came up with the proposal to shut Farnham and move the children to a new school in Stansted. Well, that’s not quite correct. They would move the children and “move” the Farnham school organisation into Stansted. So legally it would not be an old closure and a new school opening; we would have Farnham Primary School located on St. John’s Road, Stansted some 4km by road and over 3km as the crow flies from where it belongs and has been since the 19th century. That seems to me a silly suggestion.

UPDATE 23 MARCH 2014: The governors of the Farnham & Rickling school federation has issued a statement on its website. I have reproduced this below:

Statement by the Governors of the Federation of Farnham and Rickling Church of England School – 22nd March 2014

To avoid any misunderstanding as to the background to the consultation and to address clear misinformation provided in the press, on the radio and at public meetings by third parties, please note the following:

1. The Governors and leadership of the Federation, in accordance with their strategic functions and responsibilities constantly monitor pupil numbers at both school sites
2. As part of our forward planning responsibilities, we approached Essex County Council to ask for marketing advice and assistance
3. Essex County Council and Chelmsford Diocese proposed an idea to the head teacher (Mrs Napier) that was to remain confidential until the governing body were addressed.  This was necessary, as only the governing body have the authority to consider proposals of this nature.
4. The Governing body met to hear the proposal from Essex CC and The Diocese, which included a potential relocation of Farnham School to Stansted.
5. The governors exercising their statutory obligations felt on balance that it would be worthwhile entering into a consultation, with no other commitment. The consideration was to be kept confidential (for a few days) at the request of Essex County Council while they prepared the consultation document.
6. No decisions have been made and the consultation continues, and will run its course as planned.  All interested parties views are being noted and will be considered.
7. The Governors have to act in the best interests of the Federation both now and in the future and will ensure that the process is transparent.
8. Any other comments or opinions which do not reflect the above facts are not recognised by the federation governing body or leadership team.

As a governing body, we remain absolutely committed to the welfare and education of the children who attend our schools.

Why would the county council not wish to be frank with the people of Farnham and Stansted? According to one family member of a child at Farnham, who wrote in today’s Stansted Observer, the county council is guilty of trying to circumvent the Education Act 2011, which requires new schools to be set up via a competitive process. Is Essex County Council, with Cllr Gooding’s encouragement, trying to pull wool over the eyes of the people of Farnham and Stansted into accepting a dog’s breakfast of a proposal? Have the governors and the diocese been taken for a ride? Who is telling the truth?

Parents, councillors and other residents in Stansted recognize the need for extra primary school places for Stansted in coming years. They do not want their children shoe-horned into redundant and dilapidated premises on St. John’s Road at the former St. Mary’s Primary School (itself relocated to Forest Hall Park), however many licks of paint and patch-ups it is given. If I judge them correctly, they are unlikely to tolerate more spin and suspected deception from the representatives of Essex County Council.

I foresee a lively public “consultation” meeting on the proposals at the Peter Kirk Centre here in Stansted next Tuesday evening, March 25th at 7 p.m. I hope all parties will come along and tell the truth about what has been going on. The “swearing to secrecy” that has been alleged has to stop. Only then can the public put their trust in those who are meant to be working on behalf of these two neighbouring communities.