West Cumbrian Catholic primary school – with just one pupil – to close

A West Cumbrian school, which has just one pupil, will permanently close in August.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary in Cockermouth has struggled on a number of levels in recent years.

Rapidly falling pupil numbers have meant that in January 2022, just four pupils were attending the school. Today there is just one.

The lack of pupils has dealt a blow to the school’s budget and the board of governors has been unable to appoint a headteacher.

Following a year-long public consultation, the county council’s cabinet was asked at a meeting yesterday to formally agree the school’s closure.

Cabinet member for schools and learning Sue Sanderson said: “We’re asking cabinet to make a final decision on the closure which will take effect on August 31, 2022 and it is recommended that cabinet approves the closure.”

The education lead said that the council has exhausted all available solutions.

“We looked at leadership and alternative methods of leadership, such as federating with another school or academisation. These were discussed with other headteachers and the Lancaster diocese but no one was found that could fulfil that role.

“There are, very importantly, sufficient places in the area to accommodate expected future demand and currently only one child remains on the roll and they are actually attending a different provision.”
Cllr  Sanderson said that the lack of pupils made the school unsustainable, St Joseph’s was struggling to improve on a requires improvement rating from Ofsted and the number of children generates your school budget.

The cabinet voted in favour of closing the school, with council leader Stewart Young saying it was not an easy decision to make.

“It’s not a decision we take lightly in terms of the closure of the school but I hope all of the circumstances in the round support Sue’s recommendation today.”

Cllr Sanderson said that 24 responses were made to a public consultation on the potential closure in January 2021. Six were in favour of closing the school and the governing body said that there was no alternative.