Friday, 10th December, 2010 www.suttonobserver.co.

uk Issue: 1 50p

Wilson’s School, Wallington, was shut for a total of three days, disrupting students’ education.

SNOW SHUTS PUBLIC

LIBRARIES
SUTTON SCHOOLS
Schools forced to close due to health and safety fears
SIXTY FIVE Sutton schools were by TOM SUTHERLAND cision, by assessing the feasability of
FACE AXE
by ROB GARRATT
r.garratt@suttonobserver.co.uk

shut last week, according to the Lon-
don Grid for Learning’s OpenCheck
service, many for extended periods of
up to five days. With exams being
conducted for many students in Janu-
ary, the disruption associated with the
closures have once again raised con-
cerns among parents and educators,
and Sutton Council is conducting an
urgent enquiry into how it can bet-
ter cope with snow in the future, in
order to keep schools open as much
as possible.
www.suttonobserver.co.uk - Making local news matter every minute of the day
BUDGET CUTS
may be set to endan-
ger Sutton’s public
Councillor Mur-
ray of the council’s
education depart-
ment said that the
proposals are still
in a very early stage
opening the school site each morning, library system, it was and that they will be
t.sutherland@suttonobserver.co.uk and informing parents and students revealed on Tuesday. seeking the public’s
via their website. She continued “it is In a bid to reduce opinion on the mat-
Snow has started to pose much more a real shame when we have to close its budget deficit in ter before commit-
of a problem for schools; over the the school, and we understand that line with councils ting to the plan,
past three years, it has resulted in parents may feel frustrated when it is across the country, which was described
some schools shutting for upwards of closed for long periods of time.” Sutton council has by the department
a month in total. In an interview with With snow forecast to return to- been looking to trim to be “at present, the
Ms J Smith, Deputy Head of Wilson’s morrow night and to continue into spending in all “non- only viable option
School in Wallington, it was revealed the week, concerns have been raised essential” services, to ensure that Sut-
that the decision to close a school is about what can be done to ensure in the hope that the ton’s library service
“not taken lightly.” She added that continuity of education for pupils. private sector may remains one of the
most schools make a day-to-day de- Continued on page two. be able to foot the best in London.”
bill instead.

newspaper.indd 1 4/4/11 14:37:38

 2 | suttonobserver.co.uk Friday, 10th December, 2010

SCHOOL
rests were made.
News In Brief
WALLINGTON: Greggs has reopened, start-
ing off the Wallington Town Centre redevlopment
SUTTON: Christmas lights switch-on at the St. Nicholas

SNOW CHAOS
scheme, which will see many changes across the high street.
Centre was marked yesterday thanks to a group of youths
who mugged six of the OAPs who were in attendance.
CARSHALTON: A drunk motorist crashed his car
through the barrier into Carshalton Ponds yesterday. No
SUTTON: Break-off students protests against the Gov-
injuries resulted from the incident.
ernment’s proposed increase in student fees. Sutton Police by PAUL BLOOM
said that the protests remained peaceful, and that no ar-
p.bloom@suttonobserver.co.uk

TOM BRAKE: ‘FAKE’

Continued from page 1 all students.” The coun-
cil’s press release went on
PRESSURE GROUP to say that “the ultimate
Mums Against School Clo- authority when it comes
by TOM SUTHERLAND sures has been question- to shutting schools lies
ing Sutton council about with the headteacher of
t.sutherland@suttonobserver.co.uk its inability to ensure the school concerned, so
continuity of students’ that a decision can be
Tom Brake was today branded by
education during periods made that best reflects
the Sutton branch of the National
of bad weather. Without the circumstances that
Union of Students as a “complete
a constant education, the school finds itself in.”
fake.” The comments come after the
“children naturally wors- While the council can
recent vote in the House of Com-
en academically during issue advice to schools,
mons to raise the maximum thresh-
the elongated break peri- it is not able to have an
hold for student fees to £9000 per
ods,” says Rebecca Black, absolute say in school
year, in which Mr Brake voted for
chief execuitive. In a closures.
the reforms.
statement from Sutton The snow has also
Under the current system,
Council’s education de- fuelled the case for Vir-
students in England, Wales and
partment, it was clarified tual Learning Environ-
Northern Ireland pay a maximum
that “Sutton’s schools ments (VLEs), in which
of £3,290 per year, subject to small ABOVE: Tom Brake reassuring pupils that he would oppose increasing tuition fees have seen GCSE pass students complete work
increases in line with inflation. In
ditch their election pledge to vote university seats were won over by rates rise year-on-year electronically and upload
Scotland, the devolved government
against any rise in fees should be personal promises over fees from since 2001. The coun- it to their teachers via a
provides higher education free of
“ashamed of themselves”. Further- the Liberal Democrats, including cil and the department secure website. Such sys-
charge to Scottish and EU students
more, the NUS believes that the a video message from party leader tems are already exten-
(who pay the same amount as local
government are mistaken in their Nick Clegg. sively used for providing
students,) and £1,820 per year to
Mr Willetts, the University homework, but MASC

“
students from elsewhere in the UK.
He’s gone back on all Minister, presented the plans to has been campaigning
Currently, students from outside of
the House of Commons, con- for their use to be ex-
the European Union pay whatever his promises. How can
firming that universities charging panded to sudden school

”
fee the university wishes to charge. we trust him again? higher levels of fees will have to closures, in order to pro-
The Liberal Democrats have
show support for widening access vide some framework for
insisted that the reforms are in-
prediction that few universities to students from economically ABOVE: Children across Sut- children. Cindy Jones,
deed progressive and that the new ton enjoyed an extra four days
will end up charging the maximum poorer backgrounds. This would who recently started Year
system provides a fairer deal for off school to enjoy in the snow
£9000 fees. mean the type of outreach pro- 7 (first year of secondary
students, and a more sustainable
With Sutton being a tradition- grammes that many universities is not concerned about school) in September,
package for the government in the
ally Liberal Democrat-voting con- already extensively carry out, such schools’ ability to contin- said “it’s a shame school
future. However, there has been
stituency, Brake has come under as summer schools and targeted ue to provide an excellent has shut so early. I was
fierce opposition from among the
fierce criticism from the elector- scholarships. standard of education to looking forward to it.”
student community, and also some
ate. Students, who make up a large He told MPs that a “quarter
MPs. NUS president and former
proportion of Liberal Democrat of graduates - those on the low- Follow us on Twitter for on-the-go news
students of Wilson’s School, Wal-
voting population across the coun- est incomes - will pay less overall
lington, Aaron Porter, said Liberal
Democrat MPs who were going to
try, have complained that voters in than they do at present.” twitter.com/suttonguardian
Toys would make hospital CALLING ALL BLACK AND
Contact Us ‘more fun’ ASIAN DONORS
We’re here to help you by MATT WATTS you are up to fifteen times
by MATT WATTS The study, which measured
m.watts@suttonobserver.co.uk more likely not to find a
m.watts@suttonobserver.co.uk the recovery rates of over two
Editor: Tom Sutherland Black and Asian people match should you ever need
hundred children who spent
it.”
t.sutherland@suttonobserver.co.uk RESEARCH released last at least three weeks on the across London are being en-
couraged to sign up as blood, You can sign up to any of
Switchboard: 020 8556 2000 week by the Sutton Cen- ward showed that those who
these registers online, or by
had access to better playing bone marrow and organ do-
Advertising: 020 8556 2002 tre for Childhood Illnesses
nors in the midst of a seri- visiting your local GP surgery.
(SCCI) has highlighted how equipment recovered fully in,
Advertising Manager: Katie Shalise on average, half the time. ous shortage in stocks of the It only takes a small amount
Classifieds: 020 8556 2004 the lack of children’s toys in of commitment on your part,
Dr Bill Haynes, the proj- three life-saving materials
the paediatric wing of St. and could potentially save
ect’s lead researchers, com- across the capital.
Helier Hospital, Carshalton the lives of countless people
We are working to make the Sutton Observ- mented that the figures were Charlie Todds, of NHS
has a severe impact on chil- in the future. Fewer than 2%
“intriguing,” but that it was Sutton and Merton said “it is
er 100% carbon neutral. Please recycle this dren’s speed of recovery after
absurd that if you are from a of London’s black and Asian
undergoing serious opera- too early to comment further.
newspaper when you have finished with it! Continued on page 15 black or Asian background, population are registered donors.
tions and other procedures.

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