Closure of Rural Schools

All small rural schools in Somerset are under threat after the Liberal Democrat administration at the County Council voted in a resolution to only support “successful” small schools within the county.

Despite voting on the resolution, the Administration failed to define what constituted a successful small rural school. Whether schools will be judged on pupil achievement, the ability to attract higher pupil numbers, their ability to provide a full curriculum or a full extended service remained unanswered.

Speaking in opposition to the wording of the resolution Councillor John Osman, the Conservative spokesman for Education, said “the County Council must do all it can to support all rural small schools in Somerset, and those who are not currently successful should receive extra support to ensure that they become successful in the future”

But Liberal Democrat Councillor Gloria Cawood, the Portfolio Holder for Education, stated that she was “not happy to support unsuccessful rural small schools.” The Lib Dems then stated that “all rural schools in Somerset are under threat.”

There is currently 1 rural school in Somerset with less than 20 pupils on its roll; 13 with less than 40 and 20 with less than 60.

Councillor Osman said “The stance taken by the Liberal Democrats has put the future of these 34 schools in jeopardy. Small rural schools are so often the focal point of rural communities and to remove them would be a hammer blow to villages. In addition closing these schools would mean not only that children would have much more travelling to do but also increase costs to the County Council to provide school transport with even more carbon dioxide emissions.”