Fight for Eglingham school's pupils is beginning

Feb 6 2010 by Brian Daniel, The Journal

A TINY Northumberland school is fighting for pupils from a nearby establishment which appears doomed to closure.

A request has been lodged with Northumberland County Council to put forward Branton First School as a future option for children currently at Eglingham Church of England First, which is due to close later this year.

At a public meeting over the closure of Eglingham, Branton First School headteacher Alison Lloyd-Harris voiced concerns over the council’s proposal to divide the Eglingham catchment area between Ellingham, across the A1, and Whittingham first schools.

The council has not mentioned Branton as being a potential destination for Eglingham pupils, despite it being the next nearest school.

It is thought that Ellingham and Whittingham have been named because they are church schools like Eglingham. But both have around 40 pupils and are thriving as village schools while Branton has barely a dozen pupils.

Not including Branton in the Eglingham catchment area could discourage parents from sending their pupils there as children would not qualify for free home-to-school transport.