Headteacher defends new ‘drop off’ policy following collision which saw two pupils taken to hospital.

A school Headteacher has defended a controversial new school policy following a road traffic collision which saw two of her pupils taken to hospital.

Two boys from Connah’s Quay High School were involved in a collision with a car at around 8.30 on Tuesday morning, Golftyn Lane was closed as emergency services dealt with the incident.

The two pupils were taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital by ambulance, they were given a check up and discharged later on that day with minor injuries.

Letter to parents.

In a letter sent to parents on Tuesday afternoon, Headteacher Anne Peers describes how the accident happened, she says;

“The incident involved 2 boys in year 8 who were both riding on 1 bike at speed without helmets down a steep incline just past Morrisons.

“The speed and the weight of the bike did not allow for safe breaking and they ran into the back of a car that was moving.

“Members of my staff were at the scene immediately to assist and an ambulance was called for and the police”.

[miptheme_quote author=”Ian Budd, Chief Officer, Education and Youth at Flintshire County Council” style=”boxquote text-left”]The school, the Council and other agencies are proactive in promoting the Highway code and road safety as part of an on-going commitment to the education the health and safety and welfare of its pupils.[/miptheme_quote]

Worried parents contacted Deeside.com following news of the accident, fears have been expressed around a new school policy which came into force at the beginning of term.

Gates shut.

Parents driving to the school are now no longer allowed to use the safe refuge of the school’s carpark to drop off their children as the school gates have been ordered shut.

Headteacher Anne Peers ordered the gates to be closed following “several near misses, as parents drove on to site to pick up their children.”

In the letter Mrs Peers also says:

“The car park and roundabout as you know is already at capacity with staff parking we have several taxis that come in to the school to drop off and pick up our disabled learners. There are also two mini buses that are often in and out at this time and the school bus.”

An accident waiting to happen.

With the school gates now closed parents are forced to drop children off by the roadside as there is no dedicated drop off zone, this has added to congestion outside the school with cars stopping and starting along a stretch of Golftyn Lane – “An accident waiting to happen” one worried parent told us.

Another concerned parent who has already raised concerns with the school about the new ‘dropping off’ provision told us:

“I’ve had to slam on my brakes a few times for both parents stopping with no warning and kids walking in road. The traffic is worse because of the amount of cars just stopping.”

Hundreds of new pupils.

The issue has also raised concerns around increased congestion and travel provisions next year in light of of hundreds of new pupils joining from John Summers High School in Queensferry, many will have to travel by car from the Shotton, Queensferry and Sealand area’s adding significantly to the morning drop-off and pick up congestion.

As part of the Welsh Government’s decision to approve Flintshire County Council’s closure of John Summers High School a plan must be in place by 14th July 2017 which shows how Connah’s Quay High School will be brought to a standard “outlined in their Strategic (as yet unseen) Outline Plan” its not know if this will include a dedicated ‘drop off’ provision for parents.

Headteacher Anne Peers said the accident was not a result of the new closed gate policy and blamed the actions of the two boys riding the bicycle;

“The incident today which undoubtedly some parents will attribute to the situation re parking was not a direct or indirect result of any congestion or queue coming into school but the actions of teenage boys.

On Friday i was in touch with the local police who have also assisted us with these changes.

I wish to make clear that the closing of the school gates was not in any way linked to congestion or the incident that occurred.”