TWENTY six schools in East Lancashire are at ‘serious risk’ of closure because of changes to the way they are funded, it has been warned.
Primary schools with 100 pupils or fewer could shut because of Government plans affecting how much money they are given, according to senior councillors, education officers and unions.
Headteachers have also warned the move could take away the heart of local communities and force children to travel long distances to alternative schools.
In total, 100 primary schools in Lancashire are under threat.
Under the current set-up, these schools receive top-up money from Lancashire County Council to pay for the expense of maintaining buildings, paying staff and buying equipment for a small number of pupils.
But under the new proposal this would stop and instead each child would be allocated a single sum of money, no matter what type of state school they attend.
This would leave small schools struggling to pay their bills.
Now the council, which will lobby the Government against the change, is to create a plan to try and prevent closures.
Steps are also underway to set up a £100,000 pot that smaller schools could access to cover simple costs such as building maintenance.
Unions fear that Lancashire would particularly suffer under the changes because the area has a large percentage of schools in rural areas.
Ken Cridland, secretary of Lancashire National Union of Teachers, NUT, said: “Small schools won’t manage on the new funding arrangement. All schools have fixed costs whether they are big or small.
“Bringing in this financial obligation will mean small schools won’t be able to survive and yet the Government is telling parents that they are in favour of them.
“If they are in favour of small schools they are making it very difficult by introducing this.”
Council opposition leader Jennifer Mein said: “It is a serious risk to smaller schools. There could be a point where the schools wouldn’t be financially viable.
“Some parents actively choose small and rural schools because that is what they want for their children.
“The government is saying they want there to be parental choice but changes to the funding would take that away.”
Headteachers said communities, parents and children would suffer as a result of the changes.
Judith Metcalfe, headteacher of St Mary’s RC Primary School, Osbaldeston, said: “David Cameron talks about the big society and that the local community should help each other.
“Schools are often in the heart of the community and a lot of the jobs in smaller schools go to people in them.
“In terms of transport and sustainability, if the school closes children will have to be transported to other schools. That could be an hour journey both ways. That is a long day for children.”
Peter Williams, headteacher of 50-pupil Altham St James CofE Primary School, said: "In small communities such as Altham, the school is one of the mainstays of the village and much of the community centres on it.
“Take away the school, and all that is left is the pub and the church - and the young in the community would suffer.
“There is much evidence to support the fact that small schools achieve equally good, and often better, academic results and social and emotional development as larger schools, so the question of small schools' survival is purely an economic one.
“The council has long had a good attitude to supporting small schools.
“I hope it will be able to convince Central Government of this so that we remain viable as vital components of village life."
Headteacher of Bacup St Saviour’s Community Primary School, Michelle Dodgson, said: “The community feel of a small school really attracted me to this school. It is like a large family. I know all of the children, all of the levels and know what they need to do to move up.
“Everything should be done to keep them open.”
County Councillor Susie Charles, cabinet member for Children and Schools, said: "The county council's funding arrangements for schools include a number of elements that reflect the needs of the pupils in small schools, as well as the costs of providing education in these specific settings.
"The government is currently consulting on proposals that would simplify the funding arrangements for schools. These proposals would remove the council's ability to use a number of factors to determine the level of funding, including those that specifically relate to the needs of small schools.
"We are working with headteachers from small schools to make appropriate representations to government and to develop solutions that will continue to support viable and vibrant provision in rural communities.”
List of Lancashire schools with under 100 pupils which could be at risk.,
Kingsfold Primary School 100
Quernmore Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 100
Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Warton 100
St Edmund's Catholic Primary School 100
Howick Church Endowed Primary School 99
Rawtenstall Newchurch Church of England Primary School
Bickerstaffe Voluntary Controlled Church of England School 96
Withnell Fold Primary School 94
Ormskirk Asmall Primary School 94
Singleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 93
Woodplumpton St Anne's CofE Primary School 93
Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School 93
Salterforth Primary School 92
Barton St Lawrence Church of England Primary School 91
Forton Primary School 90
Blacko Primary School 90
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Stacksteads, Bacup 89
Pilling St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 89
Newburgh Church of England Primary School 88
Arkholme Church of England Primary School 87
Our Lady and All Saints Roman Catholic Primary School, Parbold 86
Carnforth Christ Church, Church of England, Voluntary Aided Primary School 86
Higher Walton Church of England Primary School 85
Bacup St Saviour's Community Primary School 84
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Scarisbrick 84
St John's Catholic Primary School, Burscough 83
Little Digmoor Primary School 83
Silverdale St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 83
Lea St Mary's Catholic Primary School 83
St Francis Catholic Primary School, Goosnargh 82
Scarisbrick St Mark's Church of England Primary School 79
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Medlar-with-Wesham 79
Nether Kellet Community Primary School 77
Sabden Primary School 77
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Osbaldeston 76
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School 75
Heskin Pemberton's Church of England Primary School 74
St John with St Michael Church of England Primary School, Shawforth 73
Brabins Endowed School 72
Ribchester St Wilfrid's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 72
Mawdesley St Peter's Church of England Primary School 71
Abbey Village Primary School 70
St Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School, Mawdesley 69
Fishwick Primary School 69
Stalmine Primary School 68
Cockerham Parochial Church of England Primary School 67
Brindle St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 66
Richard Durning's Endowed Primary School 65
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Hurst Green 64
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Sabden 64 Sharneyford Primary School 62
Green Haworth Church of England Primary School 62
Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School 60
Catforth Primary School 59
Goosnargh Whitechapel Primary School 58
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Withnell 58
Ingol Community Primary School 57
Rawtenstall Water Primary School 56
Dalton St Michael's Church of England Primary School 56
Samlesbury Church of England School 56
Tarleton Mere Brow Church of England Primary School 55
Wrightington Mossy Lea Primary School 53
Treales Church of England Primary School 53
Slaidburn Brennands Endowed Primary School 53
Weeton St Michael's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 53
Nateby Primary School 50
Tatham Fells Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School 50
Wray with Botton Endowed Primary School 49
Altham St James Church of England Primary School 49
Scorton Church of England Primary School 47
Banks Methodist School 46
Grindleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 44
Newchurch-in-Pendle St Mary's Church of England Primary School 43
Yealand Church of England Primary School 43
Hornby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School 41
Burscough Bridge Methodist School 40
Crawford Village Primary School 39
St William's Catholic Primary School, Pilling 38
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Great Eccleston 37
Caton Community Primary School 36
Upholland Roby Mill CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School 36
Leck St Peter's Church of England Primary School 36
Inskip St Peter's Church of England Voluntary Aided School 33
St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Claughton-on-Brock 33
Downholland-Haskayne Voluntary Aided Church of England Primary School 32
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Chipping 32
Bilsborrow John Cross Church of England Primary School 30
Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School 30
Holmeswood Methodist School 29
Calder Vale St John Church of England Primary School 29
Cawthorne's Endowed School 29
Thorneyholme Roman Catholic Primary School, Dunsop Bridge 27
Roughlee Church of England Primary School 27
Ormskirk Lathom Park Church of England Primary School 26
Pinfold Primary School 24
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School 23
Melling St Wilfrid Church of England Primary School 23
Bleasdale Church of England Primary School 19
Out Rawcliffe Church of England Primary School 16
Winmarleigh Church of England Primary School 13
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