Stockwood school's plea for survival

Pupils and teachers at Stockwood Green Primary are pleading with the council to save their school and judge it on it success, not its size.

On Monday, the council's ruling Labour cabinet will decide whether to follow through with a recommendation to shut Stockwood Green along with St George C of E Primary in Brandon Hill and St Pius X Catholic Primary in Withywood.

The council wants to close the schools between 2010 and 2013 in a shake-up of primary education in the city following a review of 110 primary schools.

Head teacher Lucy Wyatt said: "We are small but we are successful and here we believe small is beautiful.

"We are a successful and an improving school. Our children benefit immensely from being part of a small school and we would obviously want them to continue doing so."

Children at the Stockwood feel just as strongly and say they would not only miss the school in term time, but the holiday activities the school provides.

Mitchell, nine, said: "I don't want my school to close because it does good things and really good activities in the holidays."

Kieran, nine, said: "I don't want the school to close. It's a good place to learn and the best school I have ever been to."

Shelly, 11, said: "It's a really good school that is educational but also does lots of activities and games to help us learn."

Paige, six, said: "The thing I like best about this school is the painting and I really like going here." Rianna, five, said: "We do lots of drawing here and it makes me happy."

The three schools have faced the threat of closure for eight months.

On January 13, the full council voted to actively consider alternatives to shutting the schools but the final say will go to the cabinet on the recommendation of the executive member for children, Peter Hammond.

A cross party working group will meet again before Monday and will look at ideas for the schools including.

Stockwood Green: Work with local councillors, head teachers and governors of all three schools in Stockwood to reduce surplus places by a partnership or federation.

St Pius X Catholic Primary, Withywood: Work with Clifton Catholic diocese, addressing surplus places.

St George C of E, Brandon Hill: Investigate further refurbishment proposals for St George's and St Michael on the Mount C of E School, looking at increasing the size of St George's.