RECLAIM OUR SCHOOLS! Hammersmith.Tonight.

Tonight's Education Question Time at St Paul's Church in Hammersmith could be the start of a significant fightback against neoliberal policies in education. It is a chance to bring together teacher unions, parent groups, community organisations and governors in a concerted campaign to defend progressive child-centred and democratically accountable schools with broad educational aims from privatisation and narrow aims centred on international commercial competition.

Nothing could illustrate the current battle more than the fate of Sulivan Primary School, a walk away from tonight's venue. Hammersmith and Fulham Council has voted to close the successful Sulivan Primary School (ostensibly a merger with a nearby primary academy) and handing over its unique site to a boys' free school.

Staff, parents and pupils have all campaigned for their school and their views have been ignored.

Here are some of the questions tweeted for tonight. Add your own: #edqtime @nec2014

Hopeless Clegg fails to address Sulivan Primary School scandal

Hammersmith and Fulham Council plan to close successful Sulivan Primary School to hand the site over to Fulham Boys' Free School. Surely something the Lib Dems wouldn't approve of?

Sorry,to disenchant you but the video speaks for itself: Clegg continue;s to be Cameron's poodle. And does Michael Gove look even remotely interested?

Save Our Sulivan school is a child-centred campaign that deserves our whole-hearted support

Outside Hammersmith Town Hall

Parents, pupils, teachers and governors  lobbied the Hammersmith and Fulham Council at Hammersmith Town Hall this evening to try and save Sulivan Primary School. 'Save Our Hospitals' campaigner were there in  support.

The Council want to  move the pupils to nearby New Kings School to enable a Free School for 800 boys to take over the Sulivan site. The sting in the tail of this proposal is that New King's has decided to become an academy with private sponsorship, contrary to the values of Sulivan Primary.

The 'consultation' took place, as so many do, when people were away for the long summer holiday.

The campaign website describes Sulivan School LINK:

• It is rated ‘GOOD WITH OUTSTANDING FEATURES’
• It is full in nursery and reception – 299 parents have chosen Sulivan
• It has earned some of its highest results ever in recent years with amazing achievement and progress
  
• It is a small, beautiful school with lovely grounds including large play areas and an outdoor science laboratory

The demonstration began at 5.30pm at this last Cabinet before the consultation.  The Council had refused to hear a delegation on technical grounds but eventually they were given 5 minutes to present their case

It is clear from the comments that have been circulating on Twitter @SaveOurSulivan  that Sulivan is exactly the sort of small, family-centred , creative school that we in the Green Party favour and it is great to see it getting such vociferous support from parents. They deserve maximum support.

Here are some of the Twitter comments:

'Learning for life' -and Learning outside!! Lets keep it that way! 

 we have wonderful courgette flowers in the sulivan school garden ready for eating - yum yum - how many schools can report that!

'oh what a perfect place, we want to keep it our Sulivan school' name the song!!

Sulivan children bake cookies to help save their school! @lbhf council can't say no to a cookie baked with such love 

 Amazing Gardens for exploring, cooking, science and conservation. Children don't want bricks - they want EARTH

 Sulivan is one of the top performing primaries in @lbhf - and in high demand. Closing us makes ZERO sense.

 @jamieoliver we cook fab meals from kitchen garden for the children and they also have their own kitchen - we even cook for the Lycee

  Twicktor Meldrew ‏@twicktormeldrew 31 Aug
Not in my Borough, but I'll mention @SaveOurSulivan. @LBHF want to shut Sulivan Primary School to open another lardy di da free school!

 Very sad to try and remove the opportunities Sulivan gives to poor local children of all cultures. #shameful

 Our chn learn science, data collecting, conservation. Some @hfconscllrs see this 'too good 4 our chn' - we don't

 Children in portacabins so that the property can be fixed up at our cost and given away to a private school chain

 Local children in #fulham are petitioning to save their school! Support the youth of the community - help Save Sulivan