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Richmond Council has announced it will not extend the lease for Barnes Montessori Pavilion beyond July 2026, due to redevelopment plans at Vine Road Rec. This would mean closing a much-loved early years school that has served local families since 1984.

Note: We have submitted a formal petition request to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and are currently awaiting approval for it to go live on the Council’s website. However, due to the urgency of the issue and the strength of feeling within the community, we are launching this petition now to begin gathering support without delay. Once the official Council ePetition is published, we will share the link here and encourage all signatories to add their names to that formal version as well.

To:

Democratic Services, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, York House, Richmond Road, Twickenham, TW1 3AA

📧 democratic.services@richmond.gov.uk

 

Protecting a Cherished Local Institution

We, the undersigned residents of Barnes and the wider community, urgently petition the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to reverse the decision not to extend the lease of Barnes Montessori Pavilion beyond July 2026, which will force its closure.

Founded in 1984, the Pavilion has played a vital role in the early education of generations of local children. It provides a secure, nurturing, and stimulating environment, and has become an anchor institution in the community. The school’s educational model supports social and emotional growth, fostering confident young learners in their earliest years.

 

Opposing the Current Vine Road Development Proposals

We understand the Council is pursuing a major redevelopment of Vine Road Recreation Ground, as outlined in the Vine Road Management Plan 2024–2025. While we support improvements to community facilities, we strongly object to any plan that sacrifices educational provision and community heritage in the process.

The Pavilion currently occupies the former bowling green building and has been part of the park’s landscape and function for over 40 years. Its presence is fully in keeping with the park’s stated goals of lifelong learning, family engagement, and outdoor education — all highlighted as pillars of the Vine Road Project itself .

 

Community Impact

The announcement — conveyed to parents in a message on 19 May 2025 — has caused deep concern and sadness. It undermines the trust and expectations of dozens of local families, some of whom are already planning to enroll siblings in the coming years. The Pavilion is oversubscribed and beloved, a clear sign of demand and value.

Children thrive at the Pavilion and parents speak with overwhelming affection about the school’s warm, caring ethos. It is a place where little ones run in with smiles, learn through play and discovery, and build lifelong confidence. Many families view it not just as a school, but as a second home.

We are particularly concerned that this decision:

·       Displaces a long-established early years provider with no identified replacement

·       Erodes a vital part of Barnes’ community identity and intergenerational fabric

·       Was made with minimal communication and no meaningful consultation with affected families

 

What We Are Asking

We respectfully call on the Council to:

1.     Immediately reverse the decision not to extend the Pavilion’s lease beyond July 2026

2.     Guarantee that any redevelopment plans for Vine Road Recreation Ground will preserve or relocate the Montessori Pavilion as part of the site

3.     Consult transparently and inclusively with the Barnes community before making irreversible changes

 

In Closing

Barnes Montessori Pavilion is more than a building — it is a deeply valued, community-rooted educational space that reflects the spirit of Vine Road Recreation Ground as a place for lifelong wellbeing and learning.

We stand united in calling for its preservation.