Thurston Primary School headteacher responds to parking complaints as the Victoria Pub offers up its car park for parents

The headteacher of a village primary school near Bury St Edmunds says he feels sympathy for residents that have complained about parents on the school run blocking driveways.

John Bayes, headteacher at Thurston CE Primary Academy, admitted that parents and carers 'have very few places to park their vehicles' during school drop off and collection times.

Earlier this week the landlord at the The Victoria pub in Thurston, which is set to reopen next week, offered up their car park to be used in the mornings when parents are dropping off their children at school.

Thurston primary school relocated to their new site in Pond Field Road in September 2021 and has plans to increase its pupil numbers over the coming years.

Mr Bayes said: "As a school, we feel very sympathetic to the local residents in Thurston since the opening of the new school site.

"Due to the positioning of the school, at the edge of the ever-growing village, parents have very few places to park their vehicles during drop off and collection times."

He continued: "As is common with primary schools, the car park is not large enough to allow parents to park during drop off and collection times.

"With 51 members of staff, 304 pupils and only 35 school parking spaces this is only going to become more challenging as the school grows.

"We will continue to work with the PCSO and local representatives as well as sending regular reminders to parents and carers to park safely and legally."

In a post on Facebook the landlord at The Victoria pub in Thurston said that they had heard 'grumbles from local residents about cars parking everywhere for school drop offs'.

They explained when they reopen on December 8, they are happy for parents to use their pub car park when dropping off their children at the school in the morning.