I AM writing this letter out of great concern as a grandparent. Two of my three grandchildren very happily attend Nynehead C of E Primary School, and it has come to my notice that there are proposals to amalgamate it with Oake Primary School in the near future.

My daughter and son-in-law were very shocked and distressed to hear this and also to the insensitive way in which this information was presented to them. A note in their children’s school bag about something as important as this surely should have warranted a prior meeting with all the parents!

Nynehead is a very close-knit community and the school plays a large part in maintaining this. Most of the children that attend are able to walk to school with their parents. A move to Oake would mean additional cars being used increasing more pollution and traffic through narrow lanes. Some of the older children may need to cycle if their parents do not have transport, and as a cyclist myself fear the extra volume of traffic at peak times could be conducive to more accidents.

In today’s financial climate, where councils have lost millions of taxpayers’ money in what appears to be reckless investments, the small amount of money necessary to facilitate the upkeep of Nynehead School seems trivial in comparison.

I understand that the intake of new pupils for this year was one of the best in quite a while and that a number of children were in fact declined admission. Why then do the council feel it necessary to close this school? Surely they should be encouraging and supporting the fact that many parents are wishing to choose Nynehead as the first school they would like their children to attend. I have been to many of the fundraising events and church services with my grandchildren over the years, and I have always left the village feeling proud that they are happy, good and well adjusted children. I attain much of this to the camaraderie of a village with an amazing community spirit. A village school is a very important part of any community. Children are our future and indeed the children of Nynehead should not be deprived of their future.

PAUL McKENNA (Concerned Grandparent) Parkfield Road Taunton