Forum Topic

Ashcroft School

On front page of forum, No bikes, no knives, and no Porn.

Barbara Stevens ● 1606d17 Comments

No you don't cross Putney Hill. I deliberately chose the Ashburton as an example since the route from there is entirely along residential roads.It is your right as a parent to choose to wrap your children in cotton wool, even to the end of their secondary education. I let mine cycle when they wanted to, insisting on the appropriate safety equipment (bright clothes, lights, helmet). I would hate to live in a society where it was felt that the roads were not safe for cyclists. It should indeed be a parent's choice though - not that of the school.The adult social care crisis is about a number of things depending who you are and what your circumstances are. For conservative voters it appears that one of the elements is that people have to sell their homes to pay fees rather than leave them to their heirs. I agree with you that this part is not really a "crisis" and such people should be grateful they even have the property wealth in the first place. But of the £36bn being raised by the measures just voted through, only £5bn is actually going to social care (the rest will go the NHS - I don't object to that, but let's be clear, there is not much for social care in it). Of the £5bn going to social care, half of that is to bail out the house owners to which I have referred. This leaves precious little for the current carers/users of the system and I think everyone should be aware of that.

Michael Winstanley ● 1605d

Martine:  Your reaction to the idea of your children cycling to school shows exactly why there have been more calls for more cycle lanes and school streets and reduced speed limits.You have often written about walking to places and I admire your effort to make sure that your children learn to do this too. Children bundled into and out of cars and chauffered everywhere don't get the chance to learn the skills and knowledge about roads and traffic that those who have to think and watch and listen as they walk or cycle do.  Making time to teach and show them how is brilliant.

Philippa Bond ● 1606d

Yes, Philippa, there’s training provided at school.  I made sure my children could swim and ride a bike, but do I want them cycling to school, no I don’t.  Another point, I want my children to walk.  When I was a child we walked everywhere because of not having a car, or used the bus.  They need to get into the habit of walking where possible, too. I passed Ashcroft a couple of times this week and was pleased to see the children well behaved and walking to school. One tweet from a parent and the Labour Councillor is requesting an Urgent meeting, not just any old meeting, about this.  Ridiculous!

Martine Guy ● 1606d

I thought all schools were now providing cycle training for youngsters and cycling proficiency tests like they used to do.Aren't riding a bike and being able to swim and have some water safety skills an important part of growing up?  In the UK swimming is on the curriculum but I believe they only need to be able to swim 25m (a width) but many don't manage that whereas in Australia it is at least twice as much plus water safety skills by the time you leave primary school.  An enormous number of children will now have been unable to learn to swim because of the pandemic and swimming is definitely on the school curriculum. https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/millions-failing-meet-swimming-standards/

Philippa Bond ● 1606d

From the Ashburton to Ashcroft you cross Putney Hill, another busy road.  Anyway as a local parent, I won’t be letting either of my children cycle to school and wish I didnt have to be asked by them if they can.  It is is bus, or on foot or occasionally tube for them. (Michael, The adult social care crisis, wasn’t to do with selling your home, but it was the everyday problems you face as a carer/user in the system, such as arranging respite.  If you knew how bad it was, your first thought on this wouldn’t be about selling your home, it would be dealing with the everyday problems of being a carer/user of the system).

Martine Guy ● 1606d

And this relates to someone cycling from the Ashburton to Ashcroft School exactly how?

Michael Winstanley ● 1606d

Michael,I agree with the theory but having cycled Wandsworth High St/West Hill (A3) upto the URR split recently, that part hasn't changed in 30 plus years from what I can see.With two lanes on one side and one and a half on the other. Right turns are oddly permitted which holds up traffic. I can only assume it must be perfect otherwise they would have changed it surely???

Ed Robinson ● 1606d

Dictating to pupils how they might travel to school is ridiculous. A ban on cycling to school these days is particularly anachronistic. Generaaly the roads should be safe for cyclists and if they are judged not to be, it is a public disgrace. But what, for example, would be the point of forbidding a resident of Chartfield Avenue or the Ashburton Estate from cycling there? Does Ark do this?Imho this indeed warrants action whereas home owners haing to sell their homes to fund their own upkeep does not (speaking I stress as a homeowner).

Michael Winstanley ● 1606d

Yes all roads should be safer to cycle, but in the meantime the reality is Ashcroft is situated between the A3 and the South Circular.  Good on the school, I say. Does this really warrant urgent action? No it doesn’t.  As I said the parent can move their child from this very good school, if it doesn’t suit them.  I hope Ashcroft doesn’t change their policy. I have no idea about parent and school agreements on cycling and don’t remember any.

Martine Guy ● 1606d

Or make all roads safer to cycle.  Just like safe walking routes it would be good if all schools had safe cycling routes.  Don't most schools insist on a parent and school agreement regarding cycling?

Philippa Bond ● 1606d

I happen to think Ashcroft School are in the right.  I walked 40 minutes today with my daughter to her new secondary to show her the walking route.  She will probably always travel by bus, but I like to encourage my children to walk. We lived on URR for many years next to Ashcroft and I would not want my children cycling on it. Ashcroft is a very good school, if the parent doesn’t agree with the rules, then move their child to a different school where their child can cycle.

Martine Guy ● 1606d

It also says, because near the A3, they think to much traffic and dangerous for the children.

Barbara Stevens ● 1606d

Obviously some people have a different definition of urgent."The cycling ban for pupils appears to have been in place since the original foundation as ADT College with the associated planning application stating it was the school’s intention not to allow pupils to cycle to school."

Ed Robinson ● 1606d

I hadn’t heard of Cllr Rigby, so looked her up and on her LinkedIn profile it says she is concerned with “creating healthy and safe spaces for our children to walk to school”.  No mention of cycling to school there. I don’t know if it is still the case but Ashcroft used to ban the children from having mobiles.  My children don’t go to Ashcroft, but it is a successful school, chosen by many parent for its rules and discipline. I like the strict rules at my son’s school, but wish they banned them from cycling, as he has asked me if he can cycle and I am against it. If the parent doesn’t like the rules at Ashcroft then they should move the child to another school.

Martine Guy ● 1606d

And another matter Cllr Rigby might like to give her attention to is knife crime.  I’ve had several Wandsworth parents of young men say to me that when their son leaves the house, their biggest worry is that they will be stabbed on the streets. Anyone ever heard a Wandsworth parent say, you know I am really concerned because Ashcroft Academy bans the children from cycling to school: no, me neither.  But this what Labour thinks needs a urgent meeting.

Martine Guy ● 1606d

What made me laugh is that Councillor Jo Rigby, Labour, has requested an urgent meeting on the matter!  Really is this so serious a problem that it needs urgent attention. Here is something for Councillor Rigby to give her urgent attention, the problems of adult social care.

Martine Guy ● 1606d

http://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=conschools019.htmThe heading on the front page article is "Ashcroft School Asked to Rethink Cycle Ban"

Philippa Bond ● 1606d