Cabinet decide on future of Childs Ercall School

Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet has agreed to move ahead with proposals to close Childs Ercall CE Primary School in north Shropshire. Councillors said it was a difficult decision, but the low number of pupils attending the school meant it would be too expensive for it to remain open. Members of Cabinet voted to approve a report recommending moving on to the next stage towards closure at a meeting yesterday (Wednesday 12 December).

Formal notices will now be served detailing the intention to close the school, and any interested parties will have six weeks to make comments or objections. Following that period, officers will prepare a detailed report which Cabinet will consider in March.

The report discussed by Cabinet today praised the quality of education provided at Childs Ercall School and the quality of response to the consultation. However, the report went on to recommend closure on the basis of the high cost of places at the school, the unsuitability of the current buildings, the difficulties with the school site, and the fact that other schools in the area offered just as high a quality of education at a lower cost.

Ann Hartley, Shropshire County Council’s Cabinet member for children's services, said: "This has been a very hard decision, one that I believe is right in these circumstances. I recognise the concerns of the school, parents and local community, and we will do everything we can to support them through the remaining stages of the consultation."

Additional information

- Childs Ercall CE Primary School had 17 pupils in September 2007.
- A detailed analysis of environmental effects, requested by respondents to the consultation, showed that the net effect of keeping the school open would result in 58% more carbon emissions than closing the school.