Hart Primary School is a very successful school at the heart of the community.

Hart School is far from under-subscribed. Hart school is a rural school and is a focal point to the Hart village community.

Hartlepool already falls well within the government's targets for reducing spare school places. Councillors reported during the stage one consultation that the buildings are in good order.

One other very important point, after looking into the aims and objectives of the Government's PCP programme, is that no one thought that it might be a good idea to close the primary school within the town which is in the greatest need of repair, is in my view failing its pupils and has the greatest number of spare places – strange.

I wonder if that could have something to do with the price of land in Hart Village compared to Jesmond Road?

During the stage two consultations a large number of people attended from the Bishop Cuthbert estate stating that they didn't want another school and are happy and proud to send their children to Hart Primary for the right reasons (you know the ones – education, education, education).

Well if we are to believe that the government's statements aren't all rubbish, rubbish, rubbish and indeed every child matters then why is closing Hart or Elwick School even an option?

I believe closing Hart school will cause the following problems:

• Increased traffic flow through the Bishop Cuthbert estate. Recently the council was proposing to close-off certain roads in the Bishop Cuthbert estate due to traffic problems.


• Children at the school will suffer a disjointed education.


• It will be more costly for parents and the environment when children are moved to other schools.


• lTen years ago the Government introduced a presumption against rural school closure.

Mrs Toni Galloway,
Hart.