Local independent school, St. Ursula’s has stepped into the debate over the rebuilding of Elmlea Infant School. St. Ursula’s has offered its classrooms and facilities to children at Elmlea Infant School, in the midst of the controversy over options for rebuilding the school.

Parents have been fearing for Elmlea School's superb playing fields

Elmlea infant school has been earmarked for investment to improve the buildings, which do not meet Government standards for primary school education. However, there is controversy over the proposed options for the school which include building a new primary school on the existing playing field of the junior school.

Many parents at the junior and infant school are concerned that this will result in a loss of playing space for the children in the long term, and have set up a campaign and Facebook group against the possible plan.  ( www.acies.org.uk)

A key factor in the final decision will be the cost of providing alternative facilities for children at Elmlea Infant School while the new school is being built. Supporters of building a new school on the existing playing field argue that it would represent substantial savings as children could move straight from their old school to the new school as soon as it is finished.

However, St. Ursula’s has stepped into the debate, offering up its facilities and classrooms for children at Elmlea Infants, while a new school is being built, in an open letter to the Council and the schools involved.

This solution would be much cheaper than accommodating children in temporary static buildings, and would open up the possibility of the council building the new infant school on the existing infant school site, and saving the playing field.

Commenting, Governor Charlotte Leslie said

“It seems the perfect solution. St. Ursula’s has enough space to share. It would be great if we were able to help by opening the school up to children at Elmlea Infants, while their new school is being built.  This would mean that children at Elmlea Infants would be able to enjoy a new school, while the wonderful playing field at Elmlea could be saved for future generations.”

Head Teacher, Lynette Carter, added;

”St. Ursula’s has great facilities available to accommodate the children. We would be delighted to work together with the Council and Local Education Partnership to make this available to Elmlea Infant school children. “