School with only seven pupils to close in the summer

A SCHOOL in the Yorkshire Dales with just seven pupils will close at the end of this school year.

Councillors from North Yorkshire County Council said the decision to close Clapham Church of England Primary School, in Craven, was made with “enormous sadness”.

The county council’s executive councillors agreed to consult on closure last December after being approached by Clapham’s school governors.

The school had previously been saved from closure, but has seen a significant fall in numbers since the beginning of September 2019.

There were 25 pupils on roll in the school, well below the capacity of the school, which is designed to accommodate up to 59 pupils if all spaces are in use.

Since the start of this academic year, there has been a further fall in numbers with nine on roll in January, and seven currently on roll.

The school has also suffered a series of blows. Ofsted inspectors, who visited earlier this year, gave the previously outstanding school the lowest possible rating of “inadequate”.

Clapham is also facing severe financial pressures, with a predicted deficit of more than £250,000.

Coun Patrick Mulligan, the county council’s executive member for education and skills, said: “We have made this decision with enormous sadness.

“Many people, key members of the community, families, stakeholders and professional colleagues have fought long and hard to find solutions to keep Clapham school viable. But with a cluster of good primary schools nearby, maintaining pupil numbers has proved very difficult”.

North Yorkshire has more small schools than any other authority in England and more than 50 schools with fewer than 50 pupils.

The catchment areas of nearby Austwick Church of England Primary School and Bentham Community Primary School will be extended with effect from September 1 to jointly serve the area currently served by Clapham.

Coun Mulligan said: “We know village schools play an incredibly important role in communities.”