Falling numbers at St James First School in Alderholt are creating a problem for the village, with many parents choosing to send their children out of County to Fordingbridge. Having spoken to several parents the main reason seems to be down to the eventual travel to Wimborne QE Upper School, and some preferences for the Burgate pyramid over the QE pyramid.

At the same time, pupils from Verwood Middle Schools are also faced with a long journey into Wimborne when they move up. This has created a longstanding demand for a new Upper School in Verwood that could feed from Verwood,  Alderholt, and Cranborne catchments.

This would help all of these communities, and provide a more coherent education for our children. The current Conservative administration has paid lip service to this need for many years – and achieved nothing.