Stoney supporters vow to protect school

Written by Richard Wooley and published in Matlock Mercury on Thu 17th May 2007

The battle to save Stoney Middleton Primary School was won on Monday as it was announced it could stay open.

Now supporters of the school have vowed to do all they can to ensure it is never again threatened with closure.

An outpouring of public support for the school, which has just 18 pupils, has been credited with playing a key role in the independent adjudicator's decision to save it.

Acting headteacher Sue Fitzpatrick said: "Now we have got over this hurdle and can go forward.

"There has been a school here for over 150 years. It was built by the people of this village - who can take that away?"

Derbyshire County Council had sought to close the school because of falling pupil numbers, which led to an inflated cost of educating each child.

But government-appointed adjudicator June Brown rejected the proposal, saying the case was not strong enough to outweigh a presumption against closing rural schools.

Adjudicator Miss Brown was also swayed by what she called "very serious concerns" over the walking route faced by pupils to their next choice school at Curbar.

But the volume of support for the school, taking the form of everything from letters to testimonials, also helped to win the day.

In her report, Miss Brown said: "Having considered the very many and heartfelt representations made to me on this issue, I am certain that the loss of the school building to the community will be keenly felt and will impact adversely on a broad spectrum of village residents."

Peter Hobson, chair of governors at the school, said: "It's now a case of covering all our bases and making sure we don't have to undergo this again.

"The school is incredibly important as it is used by so many community groups as well. Even the parish council meet here.

"The priority now is to look where we can improve the school to stay ahead of the game."

Councillor Alan Charles, Derbyshire County Council's cabinet member for schools, said: "We are obviously disappointed as we proposed the closure because we felt it was in the best interests of the children at the school - and other students in Derbyshire.

"It costs significantly more to educate children there and the fact that in such a small school environment pupils do not enjoy the breadth of curriculum learning experiences and social interaction that they deserve."

When asked if the council may seek to review Stoney Middleton's future again, a spokesperson for the authority said: "We have to constantly monitor all schools in the county to ensure they are providing a good quality of education and value for money for taxpayers.

"Whenever circumstances change at any school we review the impact that could have on those schools."

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