Parents being denied choice of schools (From Surrey Comet)

Parents being denied choice of schools

7:39am Friday 25th March 2011 in Your Say

I write on behalf of a large group of disgruntled Molesey parents who are being denied a real choice of high school for our children.

Why don’t we have our own high school, where our children can continue to thrive on the great foundation that all of our local infant and junior schools provide?

Once again, a place at Esher High has been denied our children. This is despite a promise made by Surrey County Council, following the closure of Molesey’s Bishop Fox in the mid 1980s, to ensure continuity in our children’s education.

Back then it guaranteed a link with Trinity, now Esher High. We are now told that guarantee is “too long ago to have any relevance”. Who says?

We are told to settle for distant schools in other towns, like Rydens, with which we have no connection. So much for community cohesion. So much for parental choice. Quite frankly we are fed up.

All of Molesey’s schools have a thriving culture of parental engagement or will have until year seven when our teenagers will be scattered across Elmbridge. In its education policy, Surrey County Council seems intent on disrupting the life of our town. Is this some kind of social engineering?

It’s time to open a debate about the need for our own high school- an outstanding school fit for our special community.

Sincerely J Traeger on behalf of Molesey year six children Maddie Barrett, Katy Cooper, Lorna Elworthy, Jessica Hunt, Olivia Koplick, Nicholas Landon, George Lapwood, Hannah Leevy-Davies, Esme Morris, Autumn Samms, Max Traeger and Archie Underwood.