Councillors are due to make the final decision on the future of Great Gidding CofE Primary School next week.
Cambridgeshire County Council’s Children and Young People’s Committee is being asked at its meeting on April 25 to approve the closure of the school at the end of August 2023.
Education officers are recommending closure because of the educational and financial implications of falling pupil numbers – forecast to be a maximum of 17 by the start of the summer term.
Officers will inform the committee that such a low number of pupils is likely to harm the school’s future capacity to provide acceptable standards of education.
As a church school the recommendation is also being made following close liaison and consultation with the Diocese of Ely.
The recommendation to close the school has been reached after a wide-ranging consultation involving staff, children, parents and governors and trades unions, the Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia and the Secretary of State for Education.
Additional consultees have included the local MP, local district and county councillors, neighbouring local authorities and nearby schools.
If the school does close at the end of August, spaces are available at Sawtry Infant and Junior schools for Great Gidding pupils, along with spaces in a number of other local Church schools for those seeking a school with religious character. In the longer term, a new all-through primary school is also planned for Sawtry, due to open in September 2024.
If the committee agrees to close the school, Councillors will also be asked to approve financial help with home to school transport and uniform costs to eligible pupils affected by the closure.
