Cheshire village school’s plea for urgent help

Dec 3 2008 by Naomi Dunning, Chester Chronicle

AN UNDER-funded rural school in need of urgent maintenance work has appealed to its local MP for assistance.

Farndon Primary School Parents and Teachers Association met with Eddisbury MP Stephen O’Brien and

leader of the new Cheshire West and Chester Council Cllr Mike Jones to point out the following problems:

BLOB Mobile classrooms falling into disrepair

BLOB Standards of toilets

BLOB Improvements to the playground

PTA spokeswoman Rachel Hazel said: “We have been constantly frustrated that our fundraising activities are unable to address the pressing need for improvements to our school’s infrastructure.

She added: “Cheshire County Council is currently undergoing a split into two unitary authorities. It is vital at this time of change we make the needs of our school clear so that, in the transference of roles and responsibilities and funding, the urgent needs of our school are not overlooked.”

Stephen O’Brien was given a tour around the school and insisted that action was needed to improve facilities at the school.

He said: “This a community school and a well established good school, with hard working staff, and a strong PTA which rightfully are looking after the interests of children who come to the school.

“The children have been lucky that the school has such competent and talented teachers that they still work effectively in the building that they have. I have been shown there are clear classroom problems here, and I can see why the PTA is making this a priority.

“Village schools like Farndon are isolated and sometimes feel they are being left out, and I can see why they are frustrated when they are not given the funding to improve their facilities.”

He added: “If they are to continue to offer the good service to the community they are going to have to be given the funds.”

Cllr Mike Jones said: “As we are going into this new authority we are looking at the needs of all primary schools in the authority, and Farndon Primary School is no exception.

He added: “We are currently working on the right funding structure and will assess the needs of each primary school.”