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20
Jan 2021
Kell Bank primary school near Masham set to close
A primary school near Masham looks set to close due to falling pupil numbers.
Kell Bank Church of England Primary School would permanently shut its doors this summer, under proposals by North Yorkshire County Council.
The authority carried out a consultation last year on closure and is set to make a final decision in March.
Despite being designed to accommodate 50 children, the amount of pupils at the school has fallen from a high of 39 in 2014/15 to just six this year. The number is not expected to increase significantly in future.
Council bosses believe the low number affects the “quality and breadth” of the school curriculum.
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They also fear the school's Ofsted rating, which is currently 'outstanding', would be difficult to maintain due to the low number of pupils.
If closure goes ahead, the intake catchment of Masham Church of England Primary School would be extended to include the area.
A report due before the county council’s executive next week said closure would be in the best interests of pupils. It said:
Senior councillors will vote next week to publish statutory notices on the proposal for four weeks and invite representations from the public.
A final decision on closure is expected on March 23.
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