Hayling School Playing Fields

- Tue 6th Jan 2004

In this feature Janet Coates Jones, Chairman of Governors for The Hayling School, discusses the schools plans for their playing fields and the needs of the school with regards to sporting facilities.As part of its continuing development in all subject areas, the Governing Body (GB) look to develop our playing field and its use. The School’s extensive playing field is part of our working environment - it is as much our classroom as is any other space in the School and, currently, it is under used. In February, we expect to gain Football Charter status which will enable us to link more closely with other schools and move steadily up the leagues. We are ambitious. It is right that we should be. P.E. is now an examinable subject at GCSE. There is both a theoretical component and a practical component. Both are demanding. Not only are there many career opportunities in sport, but it is important for the present and future health of our students that they should be given every opportunity to take part in sports at the highest level and gain the very best sporting experience that we can offer.




To develop, we need better facilities. Doing nothing is not an option. Our present changing rooms are below the standard we would wish to provide for our students. We need to update them. To develop our curricula and extra-curricula football we need to be able to extend our working day on the playing field until at least 6.00 p.m. in autumn and winter and possibly later for some matches. To do this we need discrete and modern flood lighting and a better pitch surface - indeed the whole site would greatly benefit from much better drainage and thus a much better surface. A well-drained, well marked out site would enable us to extend our use of the furthest parts of the playing field for athletics and to be able to use it on a very regular basis. Could we but redirect the drainage in the south-eastern area of the playing fields, then we could remove two manhole covers and develop a rugby/football pitch in that area also. All this requires funding being available.




Full development and use of our playing field would also help us to continue to resist any overtures from H.C.C. to sell a considerable part of the southern boundary of the playing field for housing. The narrow strip of the hitherto School ground to the front and left of the School, as one views it from Church Road, which was sold by Hampshire County Council for housing, was not used as a playing field or a leisure space by our students. It consisted of a narrow, unused rough area and the site of the former science block and dining room and its associated kitchen, all in very poor condition. As Islanders know, these have been replaced by an excellent modern kitchen and dining room, four modern and well-equipped science laboratories, and a superb food technology room. In addition, that funding gained us a modern drama and music suite and two further art rooms as well as the frontage now nearing completion.




We would like a small spectators’ stand at the rear of the Sports Hall, behind the main school buildings. This would enhance our provision, not only to host footballing events but to hold athletics meetings in the summer. A club house would not only provide us with extra space for teaching the GCSE P.E. theory component at times when the sports hall was being used for GCSE examinations, the timetable of which is extremely lengthy, it could also be used for meetings and small conferences - we are part of the Havant Federation of Schools, sharing expertise across the whole curriculum - and indeed we intend exploring the possibility of also using it during the day as a drop-in coffee morning for senior citizens, particularly as we would ensure that it has disabled access. We already have a toilet for the disabled in the adjacent Drama and Music Block and wheel chair access is now possible to our newly landscaped site in front of the School and to the ground floor of all buildings except the Sports Hall and this is to be rectified shortly. This Christmas, with the local Lions, we are hosting a lunch for senior citizens in which our students are taking a very active role.




This P.E. development requires considerable funding. Successive government administrations, recognising the daunting cost of modern facilities, have encouraged schools to seek funding from industry, commerce, charitable institutions and voluntary organisations. City Technology Colleges (CTCs) are just one example of this initiative. Governing bodies are also encouraged, with LEA approval, to form business partnerships with outside organisations. In these cases the control of the part of the school involved in this business is shared by the school and the business organisation. Currently, we do not envisage taking this route.




In addition, it is the duty of governing bodies to encourage community use of their site, including its playing fields and its associated facilities, provided that the students’ access to these facilities is not restricted. This letting of school playing field facilities for community use is certainly not restricted to members of the community of school age, any more than the lettings of classrooms and halls are restricted to use solely by young people of 16 and under. Nor does the use of the site have to be what is termed ‘educational’. Leisure pursuits do not necessarily come under the heading of ‘education’.




This year we are proud to count among Community events we have hosted, the Carnival helicopter, the homecoming for the Hayling-Paris Bike Ride and the reception for the Mayor of Jumiéges as part of St Mary’s Priory Church 750th celebrations. Students also designed the 750th anniversary logo and took part in the celebratory events with dance, using a student’s choreography.




The requirements of the Hayling United Football Club fit very closely with the increased needs of the School. The School thus welcomes the club’s application for planning permission which would give us the funding to be able to fulfil our aspirations in developing our playing field, yet retain control of the site. The School would manage the project, in partnership with the Club, under a legal binding contract after detailed discussions. These include any future application for a license. The legal contracts will be drawn up by Hampshire County Council (HCC) with constant reference to the needs of the students who would take precedence. HCC are extremely experienced in these matters. H.U.F.C. use of the clubhouse and site use during the evenings and at weekends would be strictly prescribed and carefully monitored. The Hayling School already has its own licence. Use of the prime football pitch would also be carefully monitored - just as use of our cricket ‘square’ is carefully monitored now. Given the usual average attendance at Hampshire League games, we do not anticipate car parking problems. There are designated parking places for 81 vehicles with, potentially, 15 more spaces available.




Our playing field is huge. It really is vast. There is no question of the students being short of areas for relaxation. There is no evidence that cars are allegedly entering the site by unauthorised entrances and using the playing field for joy riding. There is plenty of evidence that dog owners are using it as a dog-walking area. This is a health hazard for our students and is to be deplored. The GB were pleased to be able to respond to a riding club’s request for providing passing places on the eastern bridle way, but there is no right of way across the field and local residents should be reminded that our playing field is not a short cut to their properties. There is also evidence of local residents dumping their garden rubbish on our site. Using the natural ditches for such a purpose has incurred us in the expense of clearing them to assist in drainage.




HUFC’s proposal is a much needed development opportunity for The Hayling School.




Janet Coates Jones


Chairman of Governors


The Hayling School

By forum user, Mat