Cornhill First primary school with just one pupil facing closure

By
Valentina Jovanovski

Last updated at 9:56 AM on 20th February 2012

Sole survivor: Willian Brewis is the only pupil left at Cornhill County First School in Northumberland

Sole survivor: Willian Brewis is the only pupil left at Cornhill County First School in Northumberland

A primary school is facing permanent closure after being left with just one attending pupil.

Four-year-old William Brewis started at the school last September and is now the only student remaining at Cornhill First School in Northumberland.

William will have to travel seven or eight miles by bus to a new school if Cornhill is closed.

Until last week, he attended the school’s nursery every weekday morning.

But with no other pupils left and closure seeming imminent, staff have arranged for him to spend three days a week at Norham St Ceowulf’s C of E Controlled First School.

In the past governors at Cornhill First School approached Northumberland County Council to ask them to carry out consultation on its closure, noting the school’s declining numbers, as well as the lack of money and staff to fund the school.

At the time, Cornhill had only seven pupils and now only one child remains at the school.

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Despite the fact that the it is less than 20 years old and boasts a glowing Ofsted report, it has not been able to attract more pupils.

His mother Angela Eyre said she was sad and angry about the likely closure of Cornhill.

She said: ‘It is an excellent little school. He loves Cornhill, especially now it is only him.’

‘William is quite bright as well. The teachers are really nice. I have not got
a bad word to say about Cornhill School.’

Her son will have to travel the seven or eight miles by bus to Norham twice a day once he starts school full time in September, rather than the 800-yard journey to the school in their village.

Angela, 38, explained that she had moved from Branxton to Cornhill six years ago to enjoy country life, and had transferred her daughter Tyler, now 13 and a student at a middle school in Berwick, from a town school to the village school.

Angela also took William to mother and toddler group at Cornhill, where he started at the nursery last September.

Angela said both children have benefited from being at Cornhill.

Low attendance: Cornhill County First School's attendance has dwindled down to just one pupil

Low attendance: Cornhill County First School’s attendance has dwindled down to just one pupil

Many people say that such schools struggle for children because young families cannot afford to live in villages like Cornhill.

But Angela, who lives with partner Gary Logan and works in private home care, does not believe that is the case.

And she claims there are enough school age children in the Cornhill catchment area to make it viable.

The problem, she said, is partly caused by the county council paying for school transport.

‘There are lots of people in this area that send their children out of the
catchment area. If they sent their children to this school it would not close,’
she said.

‘I am forced to put my child into school where he has to travel to school
rather than just around the corner.’

Angela’s high opinion of the school is backed up by Ofsted.

An inspector recently called at the school, despite the likelihood of it
closing, sparking questions about such a use of resources.

The government body however said it is obliged to assess all sites with six
months or more to run.

Its inspector has now described the school as good overall, and outstanding in one category.

Chairman of governors Dougie Watkin said Ofsted’s findings add to the feelings of regret that the school – built in 1993 – is likely to close.

He said: ‘It has only been there 20 years, it has yet to be repainted, a lovely site and everything going for it but there is simply not the relevant amount of children.’

Here’s what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts,
or debate this issue live on our message boards.

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

I have no problem or issue with this school being kept open for one pupil,so long as it is the parents that pay for it out of their own pockets and not the hard pressed taxpayer.If the parents are happy to pay for it,then fine,keep it open,if as I suspect they aren’t prepared to put their hands in their own pockets,then it has to close.

24 mile round trip to school when I was a kid.

utterly ridiculous this school has allowed to stay open for so long; what a massive waste of public money. The child should be shipped off to the next nearest school.

For Heaven’s sake, if the other school is only 7-8 miles away, what’s the big deal?! That hardly warrants keeping a school open just for one child, regardless of how ‘bright’ his mother deems him to be.. What a load of fuss over nothing.

I wonder how many staff there still are? And I bet they’ve all got contracts through until the end of the school year……

Oh close the thing. Just do something useless council.
With this attitude we would still be preserving ducking stools.

Save our village schools.

What a wonderfully selfish example this women displays, I WANT the school to remain open just for my child – fine, you agree to immediately fund all the costs of running it and thats OK – but if not then tough – the rest of us taxpayers are not going to fund you and your families desired lifestyle – don’t like it – then move.

How many teachers go as well.
I think they get six month’s salary even though the school becomes empty including the Head.

It’s a shame that these small village schools are closing, but they really can’t be expected to stay open if they don’t have the pupils. It would be cheaper to provide this boy with a private tutor than keep the school open just for him! And it must be very lonely for him, having no other children there to play with and interact with. Excellent pupil-teacher ratio, tho’.

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