Time is running out for under-fire school (From Warrington Guardian)

Time is running out for under-fire school

BUERTON Primary School is facing a race against time as campaigners try to draw up plans for federation in an effort to ward off closure.

County council proposals that the school should get the axe under the Transforming Learning Communities project will be discussed at a public meeting at the school on February 28.

Education chiefs must also decide whether to shut Worleston Primary and Lodgefields Primary in Crewe.

A spokesman for Buerton said: "Finding another school to federate with is probably our best hope of convincing education chiefs to let us stay open, although we don't think there is a problem with how we operate now."

Buerton Primary has approached Sound and District, Wrenbury, Audlem St James and Bridgemere primary schools with federation proposals but none have yet responded.

The spokesman added: "We hope for a positive response before the public consultation - if not we still have six weeks to respond to a formal closure proposal but we are running out of time.

"We believe federation will be a great step forward as we will be able to share resources and staff with another school."

It is possible the council could close the school, which has less than 50 pupils, before the start of the next school year.

School leaders say county education officers have told them they must address issues of lack of staff training and small pupil numbers to have a chance of staying open.

But teachers argue that they cannot spare staff for training courses in such a small school, and they say the small class sizes are a bonus not a problem.

Even with the threat of the axe looming three new pupils have started attending and two more are due to join soon,. Teachers believe this endorses their view of Buerton as a top quality school, which it would be a crime to close.