Petition to stop closure of Cobourg Primary School in Southwark

Parents of children at a primary school have started an online petition to fight its closure.

Southwark council is proposing to close down Cobourg Primary School in Walworth and amalgamate it with Camelot primary school, in nearby Peckham, by September.

Folashade Musa, 32, from Cobourg Road, Southwark, is a parent whose child attends Cobourg.

She said: “We are deeply disappointed about the lack of transparency regarding the proposition, however we want to find the best possible solution that involves minimal upset and avoids school closure.”

Parents started a petition against the council’s plan to close Cobourg, in Cobourg Road. Instead, they argue that Camelot Primary School, in Bird in Bush Road, should move to the Cobourg site.

Ms Musa claimed the Camelot site is located in a dangerous and busy road, whereas the Cobourg site overlooks nature and is surrounded by open space.

Miss Musa also claimed that parents and children at Cobourg were informed only five months prior to the school closure date. The decision process started on March 15.

Because of this, many parents have not had enough time to apply for other schools, she said.

Many have missed the deadlines for other schools and have been added to waiting lists.

The school hosts a large Hispanic community and, in the past, has translated important letters to Hispanic families, however these families did not receive a translated copy of the letter explaining the merger.

Many of them are still unaware of the proposed changes.

Miss Musa said: “The news of the merger and the Cobourg site closure was a complete shock as we were led to believe that the school would become an academy.

“The unexpected news has had a significant  psychological impact on many families, families with more than one child who cannot be accommodated by Camelot or parents with physical disabilities who are unable to commute.”

Councillor Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Education, said: “I understand leaders at Cobourg primary school have undergone an informal stage of consulting on proposals with families and staff to merge their school with Camelot primary school.

“The two schools have been working together closely for some time.

“A formal consultation is planned to begin next week which will seek the views of the wider community.”

To view the petition go to, https://chng.it/HPzJh2dR

Pictured Top: Folashade Musa, Dr Saffina Khan, Sarah Steven, Erin Rooney and Louise McEwan with a protest banner outside Cabourg primary school (Picture: Folashade Musa)