VIDEO: Parents gather in Roundhay Park to demand a new school for their children

"Give us a school our children can walk to."

This phrase has been a refrain for the past three years since a campaign to provide a new primary school for children living in Roundhay began.

Families gathered in Roundhay Park at the weekend ahead of a council meeting on Wednesday which will see one proposed solution to the shortage of school places - a merger of Moor Allerton Primary and Allerton Grange to create a 'through school' - discussed.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The campaigners originally called for a new 'Roundhay Park Primary School' within walking distance of their homes.

Roundhay parent Damian Nicholls said: “I think the rally helped to highlight the issue. It’s visible and it shows that the problem has not gone away and there is great depth of feeling about this.

“It sends a message to the council that we will continue to do this until they put some sensible plans on the table.”

Roundhay has been dubbed a 'black hole' for primary places, and other local schools are taking on 'bulges' of extra pupils.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They are all angry and frustrated and worried about the planned merger and the effect that’s going to have. They are also concerned about the effect the bulged schools are having on their kids, as well as stretching facilities teaching resources. It can’t carry on. We can’t actually believe we are still doing this several years down the line.

“The big thing for us is getting the council to listen to us and actually talk to us.”

Related topics: