To move or not to move, that is the question

The long-running saga of the future of Christopher Whitehead High is set to continue well into the new year.

The main players in the plans for the school's St John's site are supermarket chain Tesco, which wants to build a third supermarket in the city, Worcestershire County Council, and Worcester City Council.

While the world and his wife waits to hear whether the school will relocate to the city's outskirts on a "21st Century" site, those who it will affect have been largely ignored.

For more than 1,000 pupils, school life may be set to change forever.

The relocation of a school can change catchment areas, as well as alter pupils' daily routines.

Those who would normally walk to school may have to catch buses, those who travel by bus may be able to walk.

While everyone considers what the development plans may mean for the building, what about the people inside?

Pupils in Christopher Whitehead's Year 8 have had four terms to become settled. Should the school change sites it would probably be when they were in their final year.

I visited the school towards the end of last term to find out how the move would affect them and what they thought of the plans.

I want to stay here, mainly because of the distance," said 13-year-old Sam Bacon, who lives near the school.

My mum would probably drop me off. At the moment I walk to school. Sometimes I walk with friends and if we moved I wouldn't do that. I'd have to get up early.

The school is good where it is. If they moved it and built a supermarket they're just going to ruin St John's.

There'll be tons of traffic and it would be more dangerous. There's not enough space for it all."

For Josie Pool, if the school was to move, one thing she would like to see would be improved toilets and lifts.

I don't think having lifts would make us lazy. We'd still have to walk around from different buildings and classrooms."

The 12-year-old, who lives in St John's, would walk to school as she does now.

Moving schools is good and bad, she added.

If we move we'd get more facilities, but if we don't move it would be closer. I really want to stay.

One bonus of moving schools would be new facilities, which Abigail Coward said she thought would be of benefit to the school.

We use St John's sports centre during the day. If we moved we'd have something new, and it could also be used by the community, said the 12-year-old, who lives in Lower Wick.

There's room for improvement at our school, I just don't think we need to move.

Elderly people who can't get to town go into St John's to the smaller shops. There's everything here already. We don't need Tesco, it would be bad for the local shops.

For two of the pupils, the move might mean losing some friends.

Jenna Crockford and Emma Banks both live in St Peter's.

I think I'd still be able to come here, said 12-year-old Jenna.

I'd like to stay, but I'm worried that I might lose some friends.

And 13-year-old Emma commented: I'd lose some friends, but I'm not in favour or against a new school.

We'd have newer facilities at the new school. I'd like to see a proper running track. We could also get a new rugby field that wouldn't flood.

Sam said that he's missed lots of practice because it's under water.

Emma said she thought the school was one of the best in the city.

My mum and dad came here and say it was brilliant.

Most children come here because their parents think it's such a good school.

But one pupil who lives nearer to the new site says that another supermarket may actually be better for the area.

I think if we have two supermarkets close together the competition will lower prices, said Wesley Spiller, who is 13.

We'll get much better facilities, we'll be able to get facilities like a sports centre. It would be good.

I walk anyway but it will be closer.

I can see why other people might not want to move as the traffic will probably double.

A move to a new school is still a long way off and headteacher Alan Foulds says it's important they keep improving the existing site until a firm decision is made.

This school could get developed if we don't move to keep up with increased number of students," said Mr Foulds.

We expect to carry on with developments on the site whether we move or not. We're going to continue developing on the assumption we're not moving.

If the school did move, managing the change would be a very important challenge.

I wouldn't want anyone's learning to be disrupted by it.

I'm very warmed by the fact that many students would like to stay put.

But it could be that as many people who are discouraged about journey times would be encouraged by better facilities in Worcester.

Whether we move or not, I'm intent on the best facilities to make it a happy school.