A DEDICATED group of Christchurch parents are continuing their campaign to ensure a new school is built for youngsters in Christchurch.

The campaign started earlier this year after 26 families joined forces to get their children into Christchurch Infants School after they lost out on a space, despite being within the all-important catchment area.

Dorset County Council, after discussions with the school and the concerned group, installed a temporary classroom at the school, for two years.

They initially offered the group places in a school on the other side of the borough, with the youngsters being sent in taxis with a supervisor to school.

Unhappy with this offer, the parents organised a meeting and with help from Christchurch councillors, successfully tackled the county council face to face.

Now, with their children settled at Christchurch Infants, the committee – Nick Smith, Kimberley Smith, Jenny Nippard, Jens Lammering and Chris Heavens – are turning their attention to the long-term provision, vowing to see a new school built in the borough to accommodate increasing need.

Chairman of the Christchurch Schools Action Committee, Nick Smith, said: “There isn’t an alternative to building a new school.

“The council knows they have got to build. For people in West Christchurch to have to travel to the other side of the borough to take their youngsters to school is ridiculous.

“Christchurch Infants School has been brilliant and the new classroom is great.

“But the problem is only going to get worse and it needs to be dealt with.

“The more aware people are that this is a problem the better. I and others were motivated by how unfair it was. Our children couldn’t speak for themselves so we had to do something.

“And if anything good came out of it, it’s that a community has been built.

“We hope that community and others will support us as we continue this fight.”

To contact the group go to their Facebook page – Christchurch Schools Action Group.