Latest news with #StBernadette
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lambeth primary schools to merge as birth rates fall
Two Catholic schools in Lambeth, south London, are the latest schools in London to merge due to a drop in pupil numbers and falling birth September, St Bernadette Catholic Junior School will join into St Bede's Catholic Infant and Nursery School, on the St Bede's site, to create one primary school for ages 3-11. According to Lambeth Council, the past ten years have seen a drop of almost 30% in pupil numbers, the equivalent of 18 classes. Westminster City Council has recently approved two separate school mergers while in Southwark, eight schools have shut since 2022. It comes after Lambeth Council moved to close or amalgamate a number of schools in the borough to alleviate pressure on the council's currently receive funding from central government on a per-pupil basis so a decline in pupils mean reduced borough currently has 4,555 empty spaces across all primary schools."If we do nothing across these schools, the cumulative deficit position for them is expected to reach £17 million by March 2026," the council said as part of its consultation on changes. St Bede's and St Bernadette Catholic Schools already work in partnership, under the umbrella name The Federation, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).All pupils at St Bernadette's will be offered a place at the new school and all permanent staff on a federation contract will move to the new site. 'Greater financial security' Ewa Ostrynska, headteacher at St Bede's, said the majority of pupils and parents were "very excited" about the merger, and that staff already worked across both said the merger would allow the school community to "thrive", and that it would "strengthen spiritual partnership" with the church and headteacher added: "Of course it will ensure greater financial security for the schools and more stability for pupils, staff and the local community and potential cost savings as well."She added that the new school would allow the transition from nursery to primary to be "seamless" and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) children would be supported all the way from aged 3 to Ostrynska added parents would benefit from bringing their children to one site rather than travelling to separate locations, and that staff would benefit from opportunities such as gaining more experience and Kind, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said the merger was about "acting pro-actively and responsibly" to create an all-through primary school which would "preserve Catholic education locally".
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Yahoo
Hundreds of crimes committed at churches across Greater Manchester every year
Hundreds of crimes are being committed at churches across Greater Manchester every year, new data has revealed. Some 642 crimes have been recorded at churches in Greater Manchester between 2022 and 2024, according to the data obtained by the Countryside Alliance. This includes 334 reported thefts, 212 reported cases of criminal damage and 95 reported cases of violence. This makes Greater Manchester the third worst-affected area in the country, with only West Yorkshire and Kent being hit harder. READ MORE: He banned her from using social media, cut her off from friends and tried to break into her home READ MORE: Drivers 'consider selling cars' after DVLA tax changes Among the crimes recorded by Greater Manchester Police during this period was an incident in October 2023 when an 84-year-old woman was followed into a Our Lady of Grace Church in Prestwich and had an envelope containing £500 snatched from her handbag. Last year, St Luke's Church on Swinton Park Road in Irlams o'th Height, Salford had several large religious statues stolen, including a huge Jesus on the crucifix that was believed to be around 100 years old, a kneeling angel and kneeling figure of St Bernadette. Just last week, a 7kg charity Easter egg, set to be a raffle prize to raise money, was stolen from United Reform Church in Heaton Moor. The thief is believed to have snuck in, taking advantage of a narrow 'window of opportunity', while a local choir group was rehearsing. Churches across Greater Manchester have also been hit by suspected arson attacks in recent years with The Church of the Ascension in Salford, a world heritage site, and the derelict St Thomas Church in Leigh suffering from large blazes in 2017 and 2020 respectively. The latest figures covering the period from the start of 2022 to the end of 2024 were obtained through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests by the Countryside Alliance as it calls for increased funding for security at places of worship, focusing on rural churches. Nationally, 179 lead thefts were recorded among 3,937 thefts in total, with 3,237 incidents of vandalism and criminal damage - including arson - and 1,974 incidents of violence, including sexual assault and assault on an officer, recorded across the UK from 2022 to 2024. In addition, 228 other crimes were recorded, including drug trafficking and crimes against society. This means that, on average, at least eight crimes took place at churches every single day over the three-year period. Of the 43 police forces that responded to the FOI requests, only 33 provided the figures. The organisation's annual report into crimes on churches and religious buildings has revealed a total of 39,544 incidents between 2017 and 2024. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Director of External Affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said: 'These figures bring into stark relief the devastating fact that many churches and places of worship are being treated as easy targets by criminals. 'These are supposed to be places of refuge and tranquillity, where people go to worship or seek solace - but all too often they are being subjected to heinous crimes, either in or on their property. 'It is particularly saddening to see that Greater Manchester is the one of the worst-affected regions in the entire country. 'We cannot allow these precious places, which are often the centre of villages and towns across the country, to go unguarded and be so exposed. 'Easy access to protective funding schemes is of the greatest importance, but it is just as vital that members of the public keep an ever-watchful eye on churches and report suspicious behaviour to police. 'It is also our hope that there will be further progress on the development of a new aggravated offence relating to the loss or damage of heritage assets, a move some Parliamentarians have already supported. 'Irrespective of faith or none, churches are more than just community buildings, they are often part of our centuries-old history and heritage. They must be protected'.
