Posted on Wednesday 8th May 2019
An East Staffordshire primary school could close by the end of August, after a fall in pupil numbers meant it had to consult on closure for a second time.
Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet will consider the future of The Henry Prince School in Mayfield at their meeting on May 15, after governors consulted with parents, staff, pupils and the wider community on a proposal to close the school.
The consultation follows previous plans to turn the school into a primary from September 2019 in the hope of attracting more pupils.
These plans were based on suggestions from the local community after a previous closure consultation in 2017.
With just 20 children on roll at the 75-capacity school, and funding dependent on pupil numbers, the lack of pupils means The Henry Prince is currently not financially sustainable.
County Councillor Philip White, Cabinet Member for Learning and Employability said:
“We have worked with the headteacher and governors to help them attract new pupils. The challenge the school faces is that a significant number of parents in the Mayfield area are choosing to send their children elsewhere and taking their funding with them.
“The closure of any school is an incredibly difficult decision to make and is based on a number of factors. I know that the headteacher and governors have done all they can to try and attract enough pupils to the school to ensure it is viable, but with such low numbers and the reduced funding this brings, the school is not financially sustainable.
“Government funding for schools is based on pupil numbers and The Henry Prince First School has too few students to be able to pay for the staff and resources required to continue to ensure the delivery of a high-quality education to the small number of children who attend the school.
“It is with great sadness that cabinet is asked to approve the closure of The Henry Prince First School. However, we have to act in the children’s best interests, ensure they have access to a high quality education and that they are given every opportunity to succeed in their studies.”
Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet will consider the report on May 15.