Parents and Families,

I would like start by thanking all of you who walk or drive and park safely and with care for the children and families of St Thomas each and every day.

I apologise for the tone of this email but I simply cannot wait for an accident to happen before this is said.

Yesterday, we sent a message out clearly stating that everyone who brings their children to school by car needs to consider where they park, how they park and also the speed they drive at. This morning we witnessed cars mounting and parking on pavements, cars reversing at speed and into oncoming traffic, as well as people slowing down to drop children off on the zigzags outside school; it has also been reported that a young child was nearly hit by a car.

This is simply not acceptable and I urge all our school community to abide by 4 simple rules: -

1. DO NOT PARK YOUR CAR ON THE PAVEMENTS, GRASS VERGES OR CORNERS.

2. DO NOT REVERSE FROM SIDE ROADS ONTO THE MAIN ROAD UNTIL ALL CHILDREN ARE IN SCHOOL AND IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.

3. DO NOT STOP AND DROP, OR PARK ON THE ZIGZAG LINES.

4. DRIVE AT A SLOW AND SAFE SPEED AT ALL TIMES.

In the past the school also asked families to adopt a one-way system where we enter Sherwood Avenue on Alandale Road and exit onto Keldergate. This, if followed, would ease the flow of traffic and make sure cars are not trying to squeeze past each other on already tight spaces.

I am also keeping in close contact with the local PCSOs and will have no choice but to ask them to come and monitor and act on unsafe parking if this continues. As already said, I do not want to wait until an accident happens for this message to get across.

Again, my thanks go out to all those who do follow these rules and therefore make around our school a safe place for all at these busy times of day. 

Kind regards

Mrs Goddard