School with just 35 pupils to close at end of year

A primary school in Leicestershire with only 35 pupils is to close at the end of the academic year.

Leicestershire County Council said governors at Diseworth CofE Primary School, near Castle Donington, have voted to permanently shut the gates at the end of the summer term.

The authority said it had suffered a loss of staff in recent months leaving it without any teachers or support staff for the coming academic year.

The 35 children on the school roll was less than half its 84-pupil capacity, the council said.

The county council said the school, which dates back to the 19th Century, had been financially unsustainable for a number of years due to falling pupil numbers.

It said there had also been an increasing surplus of school places due to declining birth rates.

The council said all teaching staff had chosen to move to new jobs leaving no time to recruit replacements.

Officials said they would be supporting parents to find alternative school places, stating there were more than enough alternative available places locally.

The council said a guidance document had been produced for all parents on how to apply for a school place, and a drop-in session will be held to give guidance on the process of moving to a new school in time for the start of the year in late August.

The Diocese of Leicester has been informed of the governors' decision to close the school, the council said.

Charles Pugsley, cabinet member for children and families, said: "This is a sad day for Diseworth CofE Primary School but our team will work tirelessly to make sure every child has a school place for the next academic year.

"I know the governors have worked extremely hard to make the school sustainable, so this will not have been an easy decision for them.

"I want to thank them and the school staff for everything they've done to try and make the school viable.

"It's absolutely vital that this county has sustainable and successful schools."

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