Governors admit defeat in fight to save Eglingham school

Jan 15 2010 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

GOVERNORS who have fought to keep their Northumberland school open have now admitted defeat.

Parents of children at Eglingham Church of England First School, near Alnwick, were informed by letter yesterday after the decision to ask Northumberland County Council to begin the closure process was taken last week.

Pupil numbers at the school have dropped in recent years to the current 14 as rising house prices have meant fewer young families living in the village.

Nine of the children are to move on to middle school in the summer and a tenth is to leave with an elder sibling, leaving the prospect of just four children next year.

Governors feared the school would not be able to offer a full and challenging curriculum to the remaining pupils.

Last year, they began a campaign to attract new children after revealing the future of the school, which has served the village since 1868, was under threat.

They held open days, set up a parent and toddler group and investigated possible federation with other local schools.

But despite their efforts, no new blood came forward.

The council yesterday began a six-week consultation process on the proposal and letters were sent out to parents last night.

Rev Rob Kelsey, chairman of governors, said: “Eglingham First School is an excellent school, but our pupil numbers are falling dramatically. The low pupil projections for our catchment area mean that we will find it difficult to maintain enough staff to offer a full curriculum in the years to come.”

Consultation will last for six weeks, running until March 4. A public meeting will be held as part of this, at the school on February 3 at 7.30pm.

Following consultation, the governors will meet to decide whether to move to the next stage in the closure process. A closure notice would be published, opening a further six weeks of consultation.

The council’s executive would then make the final decision on the school’s future.

Should it close the council proposes to realign catchment areas of neighbouring schools to take in Eglingham. Schools have closed recently in similar circumstances at nearby Milfield and Chatton.

In both cases, governors at the villages’ first schools approached the county council about the possibility of closure due to lack of pupils, and the authority ultimately agreed.

Parent Richard Smailes, whose seven-year-old daughter Rachel is in her final year at Eglingham before moving to middle school, described the possible closure as a great pity.

He said: “For younger families and younger kids trying to come on in the area it is a hell of a shame. The local school is part of village life, along with the pub, so it is sad, not just for the kids.

“I think it is a great pity that we are losing all our village schools. Eglingham has gone, Chatton has gone.”