A PROPOSAL to separate school year groups across three village sites has received a mixed reaction from parents, prompting governors to consider an "alternative plan".
North Downs Primary School teaches children from Reception to Year 2 at each of its sites in Brockham, Leigh and Betchworth, while all older children are taught at the Brockham site.
But last week the Advertiser reported on the school's plan to create "centres of excellence" for early years teaching – meaning all Reception pupils would be based at Betchworth, all Year 1 pupils at Leigh and Year 2 pupils at Brockham.
Parents were asked for their views, and the Advertiser has received letters from people on both sides of the debate.
Sara Hudson, of Old Reigate Road, Betchworth, wrote: "I would urge local parents to support Angela Ewing (the head teacher) in her quest to retain the Betchworth and Leigh sites.
"As a parent of now grown-up children, I would have driven them miles to find the kind of atmosphere and quality of education that was offered in these two little unique schools.
"Being small and intimate, they offer a safe, yet stimulating environment for a small child first starting out at school."
She added: "What I do urge is that we all offer support, not criticism, to Mrs Ewing, who is trying her best to do a truly difficult job in the interests of our local children.
"North Downs Primary School – at Betchworth, Leigh, and Brockham – is a local gem which we should treasure."
But another parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said the idea was "unexpected and unwelcome".
"As a Brockham mum of three this will mean we will no longer be able to walk/scoot/cycle the 600 metres to school together," she said.
"Instead we will have to get in the car and rush around the various sites dropping the children off.
"Up to 70 families will now be driving around these villages trying to find parking spaces that do not exist, endangering children and harming the environment."
Mrs Ewing said: "We thank parents for their responses and we are carefully considering all the responses.
"We are considering perhaps an alternative, a better plan. But we are still in the process of discussing it.
"It was only ever a discussion and now because of the responses we are looking at whether there is a different way."
