At our school, St John Fisher, our children are taught amongst many things to respect others and care for the community. We are always proud to see them upholding our values each and every day.
Great importance is always placed on the role of parents in living those values, but sadly there are times when the very people who should set an example do not.
No greater example of this is in the morning when our children are going to school and in the evening when they go home. Our school is situated in a small cul-de-sac, alongside our neighbours. There are parking restrictions including single yellow and double yellow lines and we also have an amazing lollipop man. These restrictions mean nothing though to numerous parents who are prepared to park wherever they want with disregard for the safety of families making their way to school.
Speeding is common place on the roads around the school as is parking on double yellow lines, bumping up onto pavements, parking on the single yellow line across our neighbours access points, parking close to our lollipop man making it difficult for him to do his job safely and parents can also be seen trying to turn around in our cul-de-sac. Parents who are walking to school have to navigate this minefield every single day.
The restrictions were put in place as safety measures, not just to protect our children but also the greater community and when these measures are ignored they put the safety of others at risk. It is only a matter of time until someone, and this would more than likely be one of children, is injured or killed as a result of the dangerous and selfish actions of parents who need to park as close to the school gate as possible. Until now, it has only been thanks to the awareness and quick actions of parents that nothing serious has happened.
The school has worked hard with Coventry City Council to improve the situation but the problem remains and action must now be taken to stop the dangerous actions of some parents before something catastrophic happens to a child in our school.
Please listen to our urgent calls to improve the safety of our children and local community on the roads and pavements around our school.