Parents pull children out of school after kids are left being taught on a rug outside classroom

Parents have pulled their children out of a primary school after some were left being taught on a rug outside a classroom because of overcrowding issues.

Children at Dorset Road Infants School in Dorset Road, Mottingham have been temporarily moved to nearby Castlecombe Primary School in nearby Castlecombe Road due to health and safety concerns over the school hall in Dorset Road.

But parents were angered, saying they were given just a day’s notice of the temporary closure.

However the Spring Partnership Trust, which runs both schools, denied that Castlecombe was overcrowded and said the closure of Dorset Road may only be temporary – although it is considering merging it with Castlecombe.

One parent, Gemma Caroll, who has a son in Year 1 and another son in nursery, said she was “very shocked and angry at the trust”.

She added: “Other parents were the same – upset and in tears. Lots of the children were confused over what’s happened and a few have found it traumatic.

“My little boy refers to them [Castlecombe pupils] as blue jumpers and kids from his school as green jumpers.

“But the other children and staff have been fantastic at helping them. It’s just the trust and what it has done.”

The Spring Partnership Trust’s decision to temporarily close the school came amid concerns over the safety of its hall, which had not been in use for more than a year when parents were suddenly told about the move to Castlecombe.

Many families have now sent their children to other schools.

Ms Caroll added: “The result of the children being taught on the rug is that lots of parents pulled their children out to another infant school and there’s only six left in that class.

“We got a letter last night for the amalgamation of the two schools. It’s devastating to us that the school will close but at least the trust are being honest with us. We’ve been in limbo for the last few months.”

But in a statement given to the South London Press and Mercury, Spring Partnership Trust said it would not be closing the school.

The statement said: “We can confirm that the site of Dorset Road Infant School is currently closed temporarily due to health and safety concerns, and that all pupils and staff are based at Castlecombe Primary School.

“The Spring Partnership Trust was not aware that this situation would be the case at the start of the academic year in 2019, and the intake in September 2019 therefore took place as normal.

“This temporary closure has been in place since October 2019, and the education and safety of all pupils continued with minimal disruption the next day thanks to the very hard work of the teaching and site staff at both of the schools.

“Whilst initially there were some sessions held on a rug in an intervention space which is therefore outside of a classroom, this was only for a short period of time until staff were able to accommodate all pupils in classrooms. There are no overcrowding issues at the school.

“Dorset Road Infant school has not closed but is being run temporarily from a different location. The pupils are currently continuing to wear their existing uniform.

“A consultation process is now under way regarding the amalgamation of the two schools, but no decisions have been made about this yet as we must factor in opinions from all stakeholders.”