Father of girl at Great Gidding Primary School says closure conformation is 'final insult'

The father of a young girl has said a council decision to close her primary school is ‘the final insult.’

Cambridgeshire County Council confirmed Great Gidding School would close at a meeting yesterday, despite a campaign to keep the school open..

Following the decision, Chris Jakins, whose daughter attends the school, said the decision by the committee to close the school was the “final insult” and was “destroying a much needed rural school”.

He said he was “left faithless” in the county council. Mr Jakins said: “They should know that the pupils of this school will grow up to be some of our most respected members of society, the doctors, nurses and teachers etc.

“They are better humans and will make the world a better place. They will achieve this in spite of the challenges forced upon them.

“We are deeply thankful to all staff at Great Gidding Primary School for making it what it was and still is, for now at least, a loving, nurturing and vital school.”

North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara said he was sad the school would be closed. He said: “Today is a sad day for education. Rural primary schools play a key role in the community, not least because they help to attract young families to the area.

"Despite government guidance to keep rural primary schools open, the new administration at Cambridgeshire County Council has decided to close this much-valued school, which has been at the heart of the community for some 150 years.

"The decision is based on financial reasons, and there has been little regard for the needs of the local community.

"I very much hope that other small primary schools in the county will not be treated in the same way."

At a meeting of the children and young people committee yesterday (April 25), Jonathan Lewis, the director of education at the county council, acknowledged the process had been “challenging for all involved”.

He said the concerns raised by parents had been “fully considered”, but said officers still believed closing the school was in the interest of educational outcomes for children in the short and long term.

Mr Lewis said the county council was progressing work on a small schools strategy to consider how best small schools can be supported.

Councillor Ian Gardener, who represents the school’s area, said closing the primary school would be “removing the very heart of the small rural community”.

Councillor Michael Atkins said it was “very regrettable to close any school” and said it was an “unfortunate circumstance”.

However, he said the school’s reliance on out of catchment children had made it “fragile”.

He recognised the concerns that had been raised previously by parents about the consultation and closure process, but said he believed the overall approach had been taken with the “best interest of children in mind”.

Cllr Atkins added that he was supportive of a report being put together looking at lessons that could be learnt from the process.

When the decision was put to a vote, nine councillors voted in favour of closing the school, with six voting against.

The school is set to close on August 31.