| Topic: | Re:Re:Overcrowding at Derwentwater Primary | |
| Posted by: | Peter Todd | |
| Date/Time: | 22/03/10 12:59:00 |
| very sorry to hear about these awful proposals. My 3 kids used to be at Derwentwater until we moved away at the end of last August. I was a Governor of Derwentwater for 5 years until last year. I am unsurprised to hear the total opposition from parents to these proposals. Derwentwater is already absolutely stretched for space. There is not enough room already and these proposals will seriously compromise the school's ability to function. In my role as a governor I became concerned about how the premises were operating already. There is no lift in the main building so there is no access to the 1st or 2nd floors for anyone who is in a wheelchair. When I asked to see the assessment for disabled access to the premises I was shocked to read that it says anyone with a mobility impairment is banned from the 1st and 2nd floors of the building. The plan for evacuation of mobility impaired people from the 1st and 2nd floors in emergency states that there is no plan for this, as disabled people aren't allowed up! There are no signs for this and no warning of it too in the premises and no-one seems aware of this. I raised this issue with the Head and the Governors and the Chair of the Premises Committee, Vlod Barchuk, was supposed to get an expert audit done, but as far as I could tell, he never did anything about it. He didn't seem to be concerned about the problem or the risks. I'm afraid I got the impression he didn't really care about the issue at all. Last year one of the pupils was confined to a wheelchair due to a medical condition. As a result of the lack of access she was unable to access teaching in her classroom. Not good. I'm surprised we haven't heard on this thread from Vlod Barchuk who as well as being a governor and the chair of the Premises Committee at Derwentwate is also local councillor. I'd like to know what he did about these proposals. When they were suggested by the Council, did he point out they were crazy and would be over-congesting the school, and add to the already unsatisfactory state of safety, particularly regarding the upper floors in the main building? Vlod is up for re-election very soon and should be accountable for what he has done as a councillor. Derwentwater desperately needs more space rather than less. If this proposal is implemented there would be inadequate playground space. There is already no grass at all and no field on the premises, which is very unsatisfactory. The physical limitations are an issue at Derwentwater. However I wish to make clear I think it is a really excellent school, and the teaching and learning is excellent, and strongly improving under the new Head. The future for Derwentwater is extremely bright provided these crazy plans are fought off. I am very sorry I am not there to help campaign at the election to help throw out this rotten bunch of useless Tories. And Vlod is the best they have!! |