Access to Edward Alleyn Club grounds Alleyn’s School has been asked by the Residents’ Associations of Burbage Road and Turney Road to clarify its policy with regards to access for local residents whose houses adjoin the School’s Edward Alleyn Club playing fields and Clubhouse. These are now run as School grounds and this carries with it the need for us to be scrupulous in applying the School’s safeguarding and health and safety policies at the same time as increasing levels of upkeep and security. However, the School recognizes that permitting some limited access to the grounds by these local residents is unobjectionable. The following is a brief guide to the School’s current position.
- The Edward Alleyn Club playing fields are School grounds used primarily by the pupils and former pupils of Alleyn’s School. The EAC, as the old boys’ and old girls’ association, operates a number of sports clubs at the grounds. As such they are private property and local residents have no “right” of access or use. The School will review its position in relation to granting permission to access the site in light of residents’ behaviour and our needs and concerns with respect to the site. The School and the Residents’ Associations will meet from time to time to review the situation.
- At times when the School or the Club are not using the grounds for their sports and social activities, and when the ground staff are not working on the pitches, local residents with properties adjoining the grounds may come onto the fields in small numbers for the purposes of informal recreation (e.g. kicking a football around, jogging, walking etc.). No cycling, skateboarding or golf practice is permitted on the grounds. No fires or barbeques are permitted on the grounds.
- Local residents must leave when requested by any member of Alleyn’s School staff.
- Dogs, if exercised on the grounds, must be kept on a short lead or under direct supervision and control of the owner at all times and dog walkers should stick to the perimeters of the grounds, not exercise their dogs across the playing fields. Any dog waste should be bagged and disposed of offsite, not in the rubbish bins on site. Dog fouling is of particular concern to the School.
- No activity should take place in goal mouths, on the cricket square or on any piece of the grounds either marked as being under repair, as indicated in writing to the Residents’ Association representatives, or clearly needing to be rested.
- No grounds maintenance equipment or sports facilities (sightscreens, covers, goalposts etc.) should be interfered with or moved by residents.
- Young children must be supervised by an appropriate adult at all times.
- Any damage to the grounds or the facilities caused or noticed by residents should be reported to the Clubhouse Manager.
- Residents will be responsible for those accessing the site on their behalf clearing away any rubbish left by them and for the supervision of any equipment ( including vehicles) at all times as this may be extremely dangerous for other users.
- If residents wish to access to the grounds for any other purposes (e.g. property maintenance, access etc.) prior permission should be sought from the Clubhouse Manager, Susan Black on clubmanager@alleyns.org.uk
The School continues to use all reasonable efforts to maintain the security of the site and to ensure that its activities on site take into account the residential nature of the surrounding area. While the School is unable to bear responsibility for actions of adult individuals, sporting sides all operate under their respective codes of conduct in relation to such matters as foul language and respect for property, and both the School and the heads of the Club’s sporting sections will remind their players and the captains of opposing teams of the importance of ensuring that these codes are adhered to. Any abuse should be reported back as soon as possible to the School via the Residents’ Association representative. Equally, we will issue instructions forbidding visiting players from climbing over fences or entering residents’ property to retrieve balls, etc., but would appreciate the cooperation of neighbours in returning balls, given that, inevitably, these sometimes come onto their land. A couple of key messages: Residents are requested not to use the pitches when wet. Balls over the fences are labelled with a telephone number for return and should be returned over the fence on the day if possible. If not possible till later, residents are asked to contact Susan Black, Clubhouse Manager on clubmanager@alleyns.org.uk to arrange a time to return the ball. Footballs should not be thrown back over the fence at random times, as the ball could be picked up by other people using the field.
