Bailiffs at Lewisham Bridge

A message from the Lewisham Bridge Primary School occupiers:

An eviction notice has been served on the occupation at Lewisham Bridge. Bailiffs are arriving at 10.30 on Wednesday morning. Hands Off Lewisham Bridge are asking for your support in resisting the eviction. We need as many people as possible to stay overnight on Tuesday. If you can't stay overnight then please come down as early as possible on Wednesday morning to support the occupation.

We want to let Lewisham Council know that they are evicting people who have been peacefully protesting over the destruction of community education at our school. Lewisham Council still don't have planning permission for their new school. Lewisham Council still haven't told us why the decant had to take place at Easter, when children were taking SATs and banding tests. Lewisham Council still haven't told us why they are prepared to wash their hands of the responsibility of educating our children.

If Lewisham Bridge Primary School is given to Leathersellers we parents will have no say in the governance of our school. Staff will be employed by Leathersellers who will set their own terms and conditions taking those teachers out of a collective national teaching body.This is privatisation! This is bringing the market into our kids' education, where the only motivation is profit and the only measure is league tables and headcount. Competition will be the name of the game. Trusts and academies will compete for those children they believe to be desirable and leave those whom they don't on the scrapheap.

Why have Prendergast rejected the Travellers Education Service that used to be based at the school? Why have Prendergast rejected the proposal to establish a SEN unit at the new school? A consultation process has already started for a trust led by Goldsmiths University which will govern 3 schools: Addey & Stanhope, Deptford Green and Crossways. It is a process that has exactly the same goal. To take our schools out of the public sector and hand them over to the private sector. We cannot let them get away with this. We can fight this together and we can win! Come down to Lewisham Bridge Primary School and let the bailiffs know that we're not going easily.

Hands Off Lewisham Bridge 07946 541 331.