An East Devon village primary school with just seven pupils is at risk of permanently closing by the end of the year amid falling numbers, sparking a public consultation.
The future of a Devon primary school is hanging in the balance just weeks after it was confirmed another had recently been shuttered, writes local democracy reporter Bradley Gerrard.
A consultation is now live until July 23 over the future of Branscombe C of E Primary School, which is overseen by Link Multi Academy Trust.
The proposal to close the school, which parents and other interested parties can have their say on, could mean it is shut by the end of the calendar year.
Parents are being invited to an information session on Thursday, July 9 between 4pm and 6pm at the school.
The consultation, which officially started on 11 June, comes just weeks after another Devon school closure was confirmed.
A public consultation has launched into the future of Branscombe Primary School, amid falling pupil numbers.
Image: Google Maps.
At Devon County Council’s cabinet meeting last month, the closure of Shaugh Prior Primary School on Dartmoor was approved for the end of August.
That school, which is part of the Exe Valley and Moorsway Federation, had been “under-subscribed for several years”, according to the council, and only has two pupils on roll, who since September last year have actually been educated off-site at Cornwood Primary School, which is part of the same federation.
With no admissions for September 2026 and low numbers of pre-school children in the area, the council approved the school’s closure, a decision that was supported by the Department for Education.
In terms of Branscombe, similar challenges appear to apply.
“This proposal has arisen following a prolonged period of challenge for the school, including falling pupil numbers and concerns about long-term viability,” a web page set up for the consultation states.
“The proposal has not been brought forward lightly. We recognise the importance of the school to its children, families and the community, and we fully understand the sense of loss that may be felt in considering its future.”
The school is described as a “much valued, small, rural academy school” for children aged two – 11 but recent pupil declines mean just seven children are on roll there.
Furthermore, there are “no admission allocations for entry into Reception class in September 2026,” the website states.
“Area health authority data also indicates there are very few pre-school aged children living within the catchment area, and demand for places has remained low,” it added.
“In addition, there is little anticipated housing development in the area that is likely to change this picture in the future. There is sufficient capacity in local schools to accommodate future known cohorts of pre-school aged children living in the catchment area.”
Link Multi Academy Trust oversees 13 primary schools in Devon, including Branscombe and Otterton in East Devon, Diptford and Landscove in the South Hams, and Morchard Bishop in Mid Devon.
A Devon County Council spokesperson said that pupil numbers were not the only metric by which closures were considered.
“The council does not set a specific pupil number that would automatically trigger consideration of a school closure or mean a school is at risk,” the spokesperson said.
“There are a wide range of factors that will inform any proposal to close a school or mean that a school is at risk.
“They include consideration to the number of pupils on-roll; parental preferences; numbers of pre-school aged children in the catchment area; sufficiency of places in other local schools and distance to them; housing allocations in the Local Plan; Ofsted judgement and school improvement; their ability to recruit and retain staff; and whether a school is supported by a Multi Academy Trust or Federation.”
A spokesperson from Link Multi Academy Trust confirmed the trust is consulting on the potential closure of Branscombe Church of England Primary School.
“We are seeking to hear the voice of the community and parents in the area to inform a decision which will be made by the Department for Education,” the spokesperson said.
“As a Trust, we want to work with our local community to ensure that children in the area have the best education possible.
“The decision to consult is based on demographic changes in the area. These changes reflect a national picture of decreasing numbers of children in the primary phase across the country.”
