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Bleadon school closed in 1964. There was a huge outcry in the village even
though it was accepted that the premises were too small for a school. The
land was sold by the church. Closure had been decided in the 1940's and an
offer to 'amalgamate' with Lympsham was eventually turned down. The outcry
was not so much about the closure of the school but at the failure to
replace it. The school declined but mainly because it was finally condemned
with the sale of the land in 1962 and with staff accepting jobs elsewhere
and pupils now moving to other schools (with a more assured future) it
dwindled to a one teacher school. It limped on for a further 2 years and the
church offered to build a new school if it could be proved that there were
100 children to attend. A survey identified 119 children but a survey of
parents decided that the offer of a priority at Uphill 'inperpertuity'
should be accepted. Uphill school was extended with new classrooms built and
the furniture and books relocated at the end of the spring term 1964. The
final teacher Mrs Parker moved with her remaining children.
This letter from North Somerset Council dated 2003 clearly sets out NSC's position on Bleadon School Admission Arrangements and ongoing action.
It is on record that Bleadon was a developing village and that a new school
would inevitably be required at some point. That point has possibly arrived.
According to Paul Arnold, Chairman of the Village School for a Village Child Bleadon Action Group,
"North Somerset Council have since April 2003, to my knowledge, denied that the
priority existed. No papers were available and the denial became
established. Then in April 2004 papers were found that showed that North
Somerset knew all about the priority in 1997/98 and that the same officials
who were denying knowledge now were the officials that advised Uphill school
then that the priority had to be applied. The claim now is that they were
mistaken in 1997 although if that was true then why didn't they say that
when the matter was raised later on. The newly discovered papers also show
that any changes to that priority could only follow proper consultation with
those affected by the change. That would include the people of Bleadon. The
papers show that the policy was definately changed around 1998/99 but there
is no record of anybody being told/advised/consulted before this happened."
Mr Arnold goes on to say that "The matter has been brought to Bleadon Parish Councils attention, but
inspite of it being on the agenda for them to discuss, the matter has been ignored
with Bleadon Parish Council preffering to accept anything that North
Somerset Council say, even when it changes. It is clear from the rhetoric
that Bleadon Parish Council are not even reading the documents or
correspondence, preferring to rely on North Somerset Council for their
views. It is not even clear that they are obtaining their views from the
correct officers at North Somerset Council"
The 'Village School for a Village Child' issue relates to the Bleadon Village Plan in several ways. Firstly, a proper
schools admissions policy is in the interests of everyone in Bleadon and the
Parish Council needs to give proper explanations if they continue to ignore this issue. Secondly,
Paul Arnold has had meetings with North Somerset Council where they have agreed to hold the issue of the
priority at Uphill School on the backburner subject to a new admisssions
policy being thrashed out. This is called 'A Village School for a Village Child' Yet, Bleadon Parish
Council will not ask the question: "Are you in favour of a village school for a village child?" in the Parish Plan questionaire because of
the admissions policy of North Somerset Council which even North Somerset Council now accept as needing revisiting.
The following article about Bleadon Village School appeard in the Weston Mercury August 2005
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