Parents slam council’s super-school impact claims

Parents of pupils at a catholic school slated for closure under Flintshire’s super-school plans claim an impact assessment fails to address the true effect of the changes.

The assessment has been published as Flintshire County Council prepares to launch a year-long consultation into plans to close four catholic schools – the primary schools at St Anthony’s in Saltney, St David’s in Mold and St Mary’s in Flint plus St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School – next week.

The proposals by the Diocese of Wrexham and the council have already met vocal opposition from parents at two of the schools earmarked ahead of the consultation, which Flintshire County Council has already delayed opening twice.

If approved the plans will see the four schools closed down and replaced with a catholic ‘super-school’ in Flint for pupils aged 3-18 – a move that would force pupils from Saltney to travel 14 miles to and from school while children from Mold would have to travel six miles at peak times.

The integrated impact assessment compiled by council officers details the  assessment of the positive and negative effects of the proposals.

But their findings have been criticised by parents at St Anthony’s in Saltney who claim they are not rooted in reality.

One of the key areas of contention was the assessment of impact on lifestyle, social and community influence on health and mental wellbeing.

On Lifestyle the report detailed a positive impact, claiming: “The proposal will promote Active Travel Measures to encourage children and young people, as well as parents and carers to use more environmentally friendly ways of getting to and from school (for example walking and cycling as opposed to one pupil in a car).

“The assessment says there is no negative impact on people’s lifestyles,” said Clare Owens, one of the leading parent voices at St Anthony’s in Saltney.

“But it will directly impact the children’s extracurricular activities, their social activities and clubs. To expect a child as young as three to travel 40 minutes each way to school, then still have the energy for their own clubs is senseless.

“For children from Saltney and Mold they will be mixing with children who don’t live close. Play dates and after school park visits with their new friends would not be possible.

Fellow St Anthony’s parent Martina Crocombe, who has two children at the school, said active travel was irrelevant for pupils travelling 14 miles to school.

“What about the financial impact on families?” she said. “They will need to rely on already poor public transport. Walking or cycling to school is much healthier, cheaper and better for the environment but they won’t be able to do that from Saltney.”

On social and community influence on health and mental wellbeing the report said there was ‘no negative discriminatory impact anticipated’ with the report claiming the super-school would reduce incidences of people feeling isolated. It did not explain how a school based in Flint would enable communities in Saltney or Mold to feel those benefits.

“Children should have the opportunity to go to a local school where they can build friendships inside the school environment and continue these outside,” said Clare.

“If your child from Saltney forms a strong bond with another child from Flint that’s an instant barrier to continuing that friendship outside of school.”

Clare added: “Our children will no longer be able to walk, cycle or scooter to school. That’s something both my children love, it helps to regulate and prepare them for school.”

In relation to safeguarding, the impact assessment claims that the plans only have a ‘positive impact’ – thanks to the fencing and security doors at the schools.

But for parents Clare and Martina, the report does not consider all safeguarding risks.

“Children as young as three will need assistance on the bus,” said Martina. “Even older children up to five or six would need that. Will there be seatbelts on and adults – other than the driver – to supervise behaviour and ensure children get on and off the bus safely?

“What about children with special educational needs or additional learning needs? Will they have someone to support them on the journey?”

Clare raised the issue of the added difficulty of getting to a centrally located school in Flint if younger children fall ill during the school day.

“If your child falls ill or has a serious accident the time to reach them is much longer – as well as the time to get them back home,” she said.

Martina also challenged the assertion that the plans would have a ‘positive impact’ on reducing fuel poverty – with active travel measures and children walking or cycling to and from school reducing the number of cars on the road.

“This logic is incorrect,” she said. “Have they considered how low income families will foot this cost? What about families with multiple children?”

Flintshire County Council were approached for a response.

By Alec Doyle – Local Democracy Reporter