Voting Day - Heber School Closed

[redjam]

Rendelharris, not sure where you've got the idea that the day lost from polling is made up elsewhere in the school calendar - I checked with the head of Heber and that's not the case. The kids lose a day of schooling (and parents have to take a day's holiday/arrange childcare) each time there's a vote.

Unfortunately the School House in Heber's grounds can't be used as a polling station as it's not wheelchair friendly. And you clearly can't have members of the public traipsing through the playground while the school is open, even if it's cordoned off, in this day and age of DBS checks for anyone who sets foot in schools. But I don't really understand why the school needs to be used at all when there are so many other existing polling stations nearby that always seem half-empty (I was in both the Darrell Road one and the library on polling day and there was hardly anyone there). If it gets busier in the morning/evening, surely the solution is just to have more polling officers at those times? For most people the difference between going to the Darrell Road community centre and Heber School is hardly worth consideration - they are five minutes' walk from each other.

It is annoying but ultimately I think it's the school governors' decision to continue to allow it to be used in this way (don't know if they have much choice in the matter though).

[singalto]

I suspect the school gets money for being a polling station which, in turns, benefits the children.

[rendelharris]

redjam - you know what, you're right and I was wrong, it's up to the governors whether they pull that day back elsewhere, it's not compulsory. My bad.

On your other points, no school governors don't have a choice, if the returning officer decides a school will be a polling station s/he has that statutory right, the school cannot refuse under any circumstances.

More generally, parents having to arrange childcare or take holiday, as I said above, schools are there for education, not as a babysitting service, so although I appreciate it may be inconvenient it's not a strong argument against. After all, nearly every pupil has a few sick days per year which are unpredictable and cause far more disruption - the dates of elections are known far in advance.

It's odd that (I say this generally as I know you weren't saying it) the same parents who complain about not being allowed to take children out of school for holidays also complain about them losing a day's education for elections, is it OK if a parent decides a child can miss a week's education for a holiday but not if the government makes them lose one for an election?

Final point and I'll shut up, but one as a former teacher and current teacher's spouse I feel needs making: teachers don't get the day off, they're expected to work for the day as if it were an INSET.

[rendelharris]

singalto Wrote:

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> I suspect the school gets money for being a

> polling station which, in turns, benefits the

> children.

Sadly not, as far as my experience goes (though I have been wrong, see above!) schools can only ask for reasonable expenses entailed in keeping the school open when pupils are absent - heating, light, caretaker fees etc.

[pork chop]

The Baptist Church on Lordship Lane appears to have a ground level building on the northern side, which is a modern addition with a wheelchair ramp in place. The entrance leads off Lordship Lane. You can't tell from looking at it whether it is part of the church or a separate property. Has this been looked at...? (as opposed to the main church which is only accessible via lots of steps)