Message from Weald Primary School Headteacher

Dear All,
The Multi-use Games Area (MUGA) at Weald Community Primary School is predicated on community use and, with the exception of the odd occasion, has been used responsibly by the village for many years. Last week, owing to numerous acts of unruly behaviour and considerable damage to property, I took the step of locking the facility for casual use outside school hours. Very sadly, this has not deterred a large number of young people from coming onto the school site in the evenings and at weekends. These people have been easily identifiable by the school’s CCTV system and we have evidence of certain individuals forcing or de-coding the padlock, accessing the equipment store, using school property without permission and generally acting in an anti-social fashion. The school has received complaints from residents who live adjacent to the school and I am naturally keen to do whatever I can to safeguard their rights to a peaceful existence.

Please may I request that all parents within the village, whether members of the school community or not, monitor closely where their children are playing. The children should not be using the MUGA (unless part of a booking through the school website) and, under no circumstances should they be on the school field, in the Forest School area nor in the vicinity of the school minibuses.

Today, I will be speaking directly to those offending children over whom I have some jurisdiction. If children continue to trespass onto school property, I will be left with no option but to report these transgressions, with supporting evidence. The school site is largely open and intrinsic to the village’s infrastructure; I would not wish to see a situation where high fences and excessive security systems became necessary as this would undermine severely the trust and sense of togetherness on which life in Weald is based.

Thank you, in anticipation of your help in restoring respectful behaviour in your village.

Kindest regards,
David