Arson-hit school to close

Hampshire education chief Don Allen yesterday ignored county council recommendations and said that the Brighton Hill school will be closed in 2004. The pupils will be dispersed elsewhere.

However, Brighton Hill mother-of-two Madonna Courtney, one of the leaders of the "Save Our School" campaign, was incensed by the decision.

She said: "He has done it just to get the £5million that the site is worth. He can't just wipe out a school like that - remove it off the face of the earth.

"This is the worst possible decision out of the six options for the future of the school. I am absolutely devastated.

"I have a seven-year-old daughter, Becky, in year one at Beech Down at the moment and my younger daughter, Abigail, four, was due to go there in September.

"It is terrible. We need to launch a campaign to appeal against the decision. They can't do this."

County and Basingstoke borough councillor Phil Heath echoed Ms Courtney's call for action.

He said: "This is the wrong decision. I have discussed it with Basingstoke council leader Brian Gurden, who is also on the county council, and the only thing we can do is to call it in. We will ask the overview and scrutiny committee to look at it.

"The county council's education policy review committee recommended the school stay open." Beech Down staff and pupils have been housed in temporary buildings since an arson attack in November 2000, which caused millions of pounds in damage.

Yesterday's decision was grim news for head Ann Macdonald, staff and governors who pushed for the school to be rebuilt.

Campaigners had hoped it would simply be rebuilt, but its future became embroiled in a review of primary school education in the south-west of the town.

The review forecast that the 300-pupil Beech Down school would have 176 surplus places by the start of 2006 and said this demonstrated a surplus of primary school places in the north-eastern end of the area, but insufficient places in the south-western end.

Cllr Allen, Hampshire County Council's executive member for education, decided the school should not be rebuilt but said St Mark's school should be expanded to 630 places and an extra classroom added to Chalk Ridge school.

The intention is that Beech Down will close from August 31, 2004.

Cllr Allen told an audience, which included Mrs Macdonald, it would have been irresponsible to proceed with rebuilding Beech Down without reviewing the situation of surplus school places in parts of the area.

He added he recognised the disappointment his decision would cause to those at Beech Down but, given there were other schools within reasonable walking distance, he could not support the rebuilding of Beech Down which would create surplus places in that part of the area and leave a growing shortfall elsewhere.

He said: "These decisions add up to a massive investment in early years and primary education in the south-west Basingstoke area. Rather than an investment of some £3.2million to build a one-form-entry Beech Down school, I am moving forward on a plan to invest more than £7million."

Money raised from the sale of the site will help provide additional permanent accommodation at the Manor Field infant and junior schools and the replacement of temporary classrooms at Hatch Warren infant and junior schools. Provision will also be made for early years facilities in the area.

After Cllr Allen delivered his decision, Mrs Macdonald said: "I am not surprised, but obviously we are very disappointed."

There is an appeal procedure against the decision but Mrs Macdonald said: "It's too early for us to start saying what we are going to do next."

The school has 33 staff and Mrs Macdonald said she had been assured it was most likely they would find other jobs in the county.

* What do you think of the decision to close Beech Down Primary School? Write to the Letters Editor, The Gazette, Gazette House, Pelton Road, Basingstoke, RG21 6YD or e-mail us on newsdesk@basingstokegazette.co.uk