Warwickshire headteachers campaign for chaperone service on school buses

Andy Brettel, who runs Bishops Tachbrook Primary School, and Sally Morris, head of Ferncombe Primary in Hatton Park, have both gained the support of Warwick and Leamington MP Chris White in their efforts to persuade Warwickshire County Council to reverse a decision to cut funding to the chaperone service.

Mr Brettel said: “We are hoping to make the local authority think again.

“If I was to send children on a school trip without supervision on their journey, I would lose my job. Why is this any different?

“During the journey, a child could be in distress, have an asthma attack or a nose bleed. This is basic health and safety good practice.”

Mr Brettel also pointed out that some parents may now choose to drive their child to school, which would increase traffic congestion and pose another risk of accidents.

Chris White, who has had meetings with Mr Brettel and Ms Morris and is planning to meet county councillors about the issue, said: “It really flies in the face of common sense to take away chaperones from five to seven-year-olds, who are very vulnerable.

“I am very hopeful that this decision can be reversed. The risk is too high to take.”

County councillor Heather Timms (Con, Earl Craven), responsible for issues regarding schools, said the council is in the process of carrying out further risk assessments surrounding the issue.

She said: “If the assessments show us that there is a need for the chaperones, then we will continue to operate with them. The safety of the children is the key issue.”