Westlea parent Dawn Dolphin with children Josh, 10, and Zach, 8 75534-09THREE West Swindon primary schools could close to tackle falling pupil numbers under Swindon Council proposals.

The plans are outlined in a confidential report, which has been sent out to headteachers and school governors.

It claims that unless three schools close there will be 800 empty school places in West Swindon primary schools by 2009.

Currently there are 454 spare places.

The proposals are as follows:

Close either Westlea Primary School or Oliver Tomkins C of E Junior School and rebuild and expand Toothill Primary School.

Amalgamate Salt Way Primary School with Shaw Ridge Primary School and close either school.

Amalgamate Windmill Hill Primary School and Freshbrook Primary School and close either school.

Parents at one of the schools, Westlea primary, will be told of the proposals at a meeting tonight at 7.30pm.

Westlea's vice chairman of governors, Mike Adams, said the school's closure would devastate the community.

He said: "We were originally told to keep this confidential but we thought it was in the best interests of parents to know what was happening.

"We have been told the LEA is considering closing either Westlea or Oliver Tomkins.

"Oliver Tomkins is a Church of England school and we think it highly unlikely the church will allow the school to close."

South Swindon MP Julia Drown will be attending the meeting at Westlea tonight.

She said: "The LEA has dropped a bombshell on parents and school governors.

"These are good community schools which are well supported by the parents.

"I want to see our community schools preserved."

David Messenger, head of Windmill Hill school in Freshbrook, was also concerned.

"The number of pupils in West Swindon is falling," he said.

"That is indisputable so the local authority has a duty to look at the possible reorganisation of schools.

"Obviously I am concerned as anybody would be.

"I want the school to continue to run successfully."

Rhian Cockwell, headteacher of Oliver Tomkins Junior School, felt her school would be fine.

"I'm not worried about the future of the school because our numbers are very healthy," she said.

"It's up to the people in the community of West Swindon to decided what they would like to happen."

Coun Garry Perkins (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms), who is Swindon Council's lead member for education, thought it was 'unlikely' Westlea would close but he confirmed the plans include the option of losing a maximum of three schools.

"Amalgamations were only options in the plan, which also includes the option to do nothing," he said.

"Swindon is exceptionally lowly funded and the Department of Education has always said Swindon educated too many empty seats.

"The fact is that many schools also need a lot of maintenance.

"A total of £1,200 a year per pupil is currently spent on maintenance.

"Over the years the primary school population has moved to the northern sector of the town.

"You cannot just expand schools all the time.

"At some point you have to say 'hey we do not that that school there.

"We need to amalgamate it for the good of children in Swindon'."

Coun Perkins also added that a shake-up was needed to introduce an Extended Schools Programme in Swindon.

This is a programme introduced by the Government which sees schools offering a greater range of child welfare and community services such as nurseries and after school clubs.

Parents concerned

Parents at Westlea say they will fight to keep their school open if it is threatened with closure.

Dawn Dolphin has two children at the school, Joshua, ten, and Zachary, eight.

She said: "As a parent I am appalled that they can even think about it. Westlea is a very successful school and we only moved to the area so that our sons could go there.

"It is also at the hub of the Westlea community.

"There is no church or community centre in Westlea it's all in the school.

"And it's the only safe place where the children can play.

"Because it's a community school the gates are always open. It's too good a school to allow it to close and I'm positive that people will fight to keep it open."

Stuart Hogton, pictured above, is a parent governor at the school where his six-year-old son is a pupil.

He said: "This is not a done deal by any means. But if the school did close it would be a great loss to the community and to parents.

"It is not on its last legs nor has it had a bad Ofsted report.

"I am very happy with Westlea both results wise and in terms of its general ethos.

"It is a real focal point in the Westlea community and one of the major reasons why we moved to the area."

Diana Milne