New committee formed at tiny south Shropshire school that had been under threat
Governors at a tiny Shropshire school that had been threatened with closure have admitted they should have communicated plans "more effectively".
The governors of Newcastle CE Primary School acknowledged that they "needed to have communicated more effectively with parents and the wider community" before launching a consultation on moving children out to other schools.
A new joint committee has been formed with the task of bringing more pupils into the school from September. Falling pupil numbers had been cited as a reason for moving children at the school in Newcastle upon Clun to others run by the Blue Hills Federation.
The joint statement issued by Di Cosgrove, the federation's acting chair of governors, and parent representative Barry Swancott said that the governors of Newcastle CE Primary School convened a public meeting with parents and the village community on March 20 to explore ideas on how to secure the school for the future.
It continued: "The meeting followed the governing body’s decision to cease the statutory consultation process on a proposal to transfer the provision of education from Newcastle CE Primary School to the other schools in the Blue Hills Federation, Clunbury and Bucknell, initially published on the March 3.
"The governing body’s overriding focus has been, and remains, to sustain and enhance the exceptional education the pupils at Newcastle CE Primary School currently enjoy."
It added: "The governors acknowledge that they needed to have communicated more effectively with parents and the wider community prior to launching the consultation process.
"Current and prospective parents applaud the governors’ decision to stop the formal consultation."
The statement said: "All parties are now fully engaged and a new stakeholder committee, consisting of governors, staff, parents and the community, has been formed to facilitate better communication and exchange of ideas intended to increase the number of pupils."
