advice for the school.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

My kids go to school on a hill, and school are having 2 serious problems.

problem 1, they have a field, they use it for sports day and football etc, the council own it, as far as we know, and they are selling it for houses. No one in the area wants houses built there, (apart from the buy to let brigade). What rights do we have to stop them building on it.

Problem 2, and to my mind the biggest problem..

There is a walkway up to the school is and there are houses up along the walkway, the last house burns things, im sure its in his shed, and there are times you walk through a cloud of black smoke. The smell is atrocious, like rubber burning, and its literally right next to the school gates. We parents have complained to the school, I've written to the Governers (letter ignored), all we get is that they have complained to the owner of the house and he has declined to respond to the complaints.
Surely this is a health hazard to the kids in the playground (I don't count myself as im a ex smoker, any damage is my own stupid fault). Is there anything we can do about it?

Big thanks from Beautiful Daughter and No 1 Son

[enaid]

Re: advice for the school.

Here are the rules etc about burning rubbish in your garden etc
http://www.environmental-protection....rden-bonfires/

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: advice for the school.

ty

[labman]

Re: advice for the school.

1. I suspect you have no more rights than any other ordinary member of the public. If it is a county school as opposed to a Church School the land will definitely be owned by the council. You, other parents and the school have the right to oppose the planning permission, though you may find there is a financial incentive for the school to let the field be sold - this benefit would, of course, benefit your children.

Perhaps you should be aking the Headteacher and the Governing Body if the school is gaining any financial benefit from this, and if so, what it intends doing with the monies - address letters to the Clerk to the Governors c/o the school. You could also ask how the school is aiming to meet its statutory obligations under the National Curriculum (assuming it's in England) for Physical Education without this much needed resource.

2. Again, addressing your complaints to the school are unlikely to achieve anything I'm afraid. Schools' relationships with their neighbours are fragile at the best of times. If someone is burning material which they should not, the council should be informed, obviously pointing out the hazard to children in the school. The more that write in, the better and of course one would hope the school would be leading this, encouraging parents to write in, and contacting the council themselves regarding a hazard to the children.

It is unfortunate that the root cause of the hazard is beyond the school's control - the Headteacher can hardly march over with a fire extinguisher and douse the flames. It leaves them in an invidious position. If there is a hazard, they need to assess the risk it poses to the children and decide whether to let them stay out playing or bring them inside. From experience I can tell you that whichever option you choose as a Headteacher will be the wrong one. The real key to all these types of problems though are genuine partnership between the school and the parent body. If they work together, much can be achieved. Sadly, all too often there is a feeling of a them and us situation, this is not healthy for the staff, the parents, but most importantly achieves nothing for the children.

[bluebottle]

Re: advice for the school.

As regards the burning of something, I would be inclined to contact your local Environmental Health Department, as Enaid highlights in their post. As regards the matter of the school playing fields, I would go along with Labman's advice.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: advice for the school.

could you let me know how you set up a petiton on line please hun?
Maybe if we could start one and have people sign it, we could fight them and they couldnt claim they didnt recieve it.

I called the Environmental Health regarding the burning, he didnt burn the day they arrived, they made an appointment! GRRR!!! I suggested the school calling the E/H and got told, its not our policy.

i was thinking about writing to the MP and posting it in his door by hand, but hes as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike!! Yeh the school is in Yorkshire, i live about 5 mins walk from it, and i can smell the fire from here!

[labman]

Re: advice for the school.

I would urge you to read my response and think carefully through the consequences of your actions.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: advice for the school.

The school is urging parents to help stop the sale of the land, they have no other green on the plot.
There will be no benefit finacially to the land being developed, just more houses. If the field is sold, the kids will have to be bused to the local football ground (barnsley fc, 7 miles) to do athletics/football etc.
I'll see if No 1 Child can get me the info from her teacher.

The kids are all writing to the council asking for their field to be left alone.

[labman]

Re: advice for the school.

I suggested the school calling the E/H and got told, its not our policy.

Let me get this right - it is the school's policy to ignore a health hazard to the children in its care. Perhaps one should ask to see this policy.

Of course, if it is a health hazard, it would not be prudent to let the children out a play times - I wonder how parents would react to that?

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: advice for the school.

me, i'd be ok with them staying in, let em play in the hall or something.
then again im not norman according to my neice (she meant not normal).

Labman do you know what ESL is?

[labman]

Re: advice for the school.

Yes - English as a Second Language.

[Hurricane Puffrose]

Re: advice for the school.

ty
One of my friends at school ( a chinese lady) asked me, her son has a book marked ESL, i promised i would ask.

[wales01man]

Re: advice for the school.

Google search comes up english as a second language