John Hamilton addresses a rally of protestors trying to stop the demolition of Lewisham Bridge Primary School
MORE than 300 parents, teachers, students and schoolchildren marched through the centre of Lewisham, south-east London, on Saturday to save Lewisham Bridge Primary School. The school has been occupied since last month, when stunned parents were told by Lewisham Council that it was closing and their children would have to be bussed to a temporary site in New Cross called the Mornington Centre. Saturday’s march heard that the popular school, in pristine condition, is now threatened with demolition so that the site can be redeveloped as a privately-run Academy school for 3-16 year-olds – yet the council ‘hasn’t even got planning permission’. A leaflet handed out by demonstrators warned that children could be bussed to New Cross for ‘the next two years’, and added: ‘The planned new school would have a significantly different legal status to the existing “community’’ primary school. ‘It would become a “foundation’’ school that can set its own admissions policy. ‘Staff would be employed by the governors, not the Local Authority. ‘The new school would probably become part of a “Trust’’ federation sponsored by the “Leathersellers Company’’ that backs Prendergast School. This is part of the Council’s wider plans to break up schools into competing Trusts and Academies. ‘The Trust would be run by just one governing body. It will be less democratic and less representative. Governors elected by parents will be replaced by parents appointed by the foundation. ‘So Lewisham Bridge school is also being knocked down as part of a plan to break up democratic comprehensive education in Lewisham.’ Local people joined the march as it headed through the busy shopping centre, demanding: ‘Hands off Lewisham Bridge – bring our children back!’, ‘Leathersellers – no way! Lewisham Bridge – here to stay!’ and ‘Hands off Lewisham Bridge – stop Bullock’s bulldozers!’
Size: 3360px × 5050px
Location: Lewisham High Street, Lewisham, London
Photo credit: © John Gaffen 2 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: democracy, demonstration, education, independant, lewisham, megaphone, people, protest, protestors, rally, speaker, speakers
