It takes a village to raise a child.

I’m sure you have all heard the ‘good news’ that there is now funding available to rebuild our school..... in Ottery St Mary.

So why Ottery St Mary? We have had a village school for 180 years, are we really going to lose it?

The school floods on occasion, not from the river but run off from West Hill and Metcombe . This has been happening for many years. This has damaged the buildings and creating damp on the lower site. These buildings need to be rebuilt. The current reception building was built in the 60s as a temporary building so it’s long overdue, but we all expected that the rebuild if not on its current site would still be in the village, not nearly 3 miles away. The site proposed is in a busy area with the secondary school and sports centre close by. The area floods too as does the road to Ottery where children would have to travel.

 

I’d like to share Mr Howard Hughes thoughts.

 

 “Please don’t perpetuate the claim that this is a school ‘relocation’ based on safety concerns.

It’s a closure dressed up in a political piece of prose.

There are other options in TSJ.

The children will still be at risk of flooding - both onsite and during their commute.

It’s interesting to reflect upon the events of 9th May 2023. The children at TSJ primary lower school were safely moved to the upper school. The grassed area around the lower school ended up under a few inches of water.

Whilst this was happening in TSJ…. The children (who live in TSJ and surrounds) now at The King’s School OSM, were dropped en-mass between West Hill and Metcombe… and left to wade through flood waters. Thankfully finding safety with Mark Clapp and his bale trailer.

This in itself highlights the dangers of a protracted commute.

This is very much a case of the ‘… cost of everything and the value of nothing…’. 

The politicians amongst us should ‘read the room’ and not blithely regurgitate the same ‘pap’ that was fed to the last cohort of parents in an expectation that different results would ensue.

TSJ needs a new school in the village, one with good facilities for teachers and children, one that is safe and modern. One that is the heart of the community.

We seem to be half way there with identification off the ‘why’ and the ‘what’, but ‘who’ is a little lost and ‘how, when and where’ have missed the boat”

 

The flooding will continue, many homes, roads, families will still be affected even if the school moves. This is what needs to be addressed, this is what has gone on for too long. The environment agency, Devon Highways and local council needs to work out how they are going to alleviate the flooding and directing the run off.

Our village is going to lose a huge asset, don’t be under the illusion a much bigger (because it will be much bigger) shiny new school is going to be the best for our children. In recent years West hill have had a new school..built in West hill, Newton Poppleford school was rebuilt... in a newton poppleford and even Sidmouth is getting new improved school...in Sidmouth.

Come on people, this has all seemed so underhand. We don’t really know where the other sites are, so how can we know if or why they are unsuitable? Consultations were made many years ago and we trusted the school, Devon County, local council to protect and keep our school in the village but we’ve all been let down with what we are told is a win. 

If you have got this far then thank you so much for reading this.

I’ll leave you with one last thought

"It takes a village to raise a child" is a proverb that means that an entire community of people must provide for and interact positively with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment.

Please don’t let our children lose out.

Please give your opinion to Ottery St Mary Town Council ...admin@otterystmary-tc.gov.uk