Last chance to save school

Parents and governors at a small north Shropshire school are to make a last ditch attempt to save it from the axe next week.

People are being urged to pack out a public meeting as campaigners fighting for the future of Childs Ercall Primary School make a direct appeal to an independent adjudicator appointed by the Secretary of State for Education.

The Church of England school, near Market Drayton, is due to close at the end of the school year after pupil numbers fell to just 15 and Shropshire County Council, the local education authority, decided it was uneconomic to keep open.

But the Diocese of Lichfield has referred the decision to the independent Schools’ Adjudicator.

Dr Peter Matthews will hold a public meeting in the village’s Jubilee Hall on Tuesday, at 6pm, to hear what residents and campaigners have to say about the future of the school.

Earlier in the day he will hold two separate meetings at which he will hear the views of representatives of the school, the county and parish councils, and the diocese.

At a later date he will issue a “determination”, his decision, which is legally binding on all parties.

Today parent-governor Esther Owen said: “The public meeting is a last chance to put our case and save the school.”

She said governors had prepared an information pack for the adjudicator setting out the argument for keeping the school open.

They were “extremely disappointed” over the way the education authority consulted on the closure plan.

The governors felt the school had an important place at the heart of a growing community, and the authority failed to address many aspects of the statutory guidance relating to the future of schools, in particular those in rural areas.

Mrs Owen said: “We’ll be making the meeting a big event and, unlike the consultation, making it inclusive.”

A creche will be run during the meeting so parents and prospective parents can attend without having to worry about childcare.

Gavin Drake, of the Diocese of Lichfield, urged as many people as possible to attend the meeting. He said people’s views would be taken into account when Dr Matthews makes a decision.

By Education Correspondent Dave Morris