Families on the march to save Brancaster Primary Academy

The trust which runs Brancaster Church of England Primary Academy said it still intends to press ahead and merge it with a school five miles away in Docking, despite postponing the closure which was originally planned for January 1.

The Department for Education (DfE) will have the final say over the Diocese of Norwich Education and Academies Trust (DNEAT)'s proposals.

Brancaster Church of England Primary Academy (Image: Chris Bishop)

DNEAT, which runs both schools, says the change is needed because of falling pupil numbers.

It says the school, which can accommodate 63 pupils, currently has 24 but numbers are expected to fall to 17 by next September.

But locals say that does not take account of a new development of affordable homes at nearby Brancaster Staithe, which could bring another 20 children to the area.

FAMILIES ON THE MARCH

Some of the families on the march at Brancaster (Image: Chris Bishop) Families walked from Brancaster Primary to Staithe along the main A149 and coast path on Saturday.

They were joined by James Fox, who was a governor at the school for eight years before DNEAT took it over in 2022 and set up its own governing body.

"The school is viable, it has been for many years," he said. "It's always been a small school, where there's always been a high standard of learning."

Former Brancaster Primary School governor James Fox (Image: Chris Bishop) Mr Fox said his twin daughters Faith and Eve, now 15, had both attended the school.

"Faith's deaf," he said. "So the whole school learned to sign."

Jenny Parsons, whose daughters Cherry, aged nine and Isabella, aged five are among current pupils, hopes their younger brothers Drake and Ashton will also be able to go to  Brancaster.

Jenny Fox (centre) at the protest with her children Cherry to her right, Isabella to her left and Drake and Ashton in the pushchair (Image: Chris Bishop)

Miss Parsons, now 35, attended as a child and was taught by Sarah Bocking, who is now the head.

"I don't think DNEAT  have thought of the children at all," she said. "This has always been a small school, it's never been massive."

Villager Caroline Harper, now 66, said: "I went here and so did my mum.

"It's appalling, absolutely appalling. There's no good educational reason for it.

A banner in Brancaster protesting at plans to close the village school (Image: Chris Bishop) "It's ill thought-out, the options haven't been properly explored."

Villager Jamie Campbell was upbeat as the march arrived at the harbour before adjourning to the nearby Jolly Sailors.

"I have a feeling we're going to win this," he said. "There's an 1891 covenant on the property, which says it can only be used for educational purposes."

POLITICIANS UNITED AGAINST CLOSURE

Some of the new affordable homes being built at Brancaster Staithe, which campaigners say will bring more children to the village school (Image: Chris Bishop) Norfolk County Council is against the closure. Its school organisation manager Anna Palmer said in a letter to DNEAT: "Brancaster is an integral part of the educational infrastructure in this rural coastal area, where there is no local capacity to accommodate pupils if it were to close.

"Forecasts show a continued need for school places in the area.

"Docking is already at capacity in most classes, and combining the pupil populations could further strain resources, potentially risking the quality of education."

Norfolk county councillor Andrew Jamieson (Image: Norfolk County Council) Local county councillor and the authority's deputy leader Andrew Jamieson said the DfE would be well aware of the strength of feeling against the closure.

"I'm confident the decision will be the right decision, which is to keep it open," he added.

Brancaster Parish Council has voted unanimously to oppose the closure. In a letter to DNEAT, parish clerk Simon Bower said there had been "considerable distress" in the village.

Brancaster parish clerk Simon Bower (Image: Bob Hobbs) "A school is more than just a place for education, it represents a focus for the community, and one which gives our young people a sense of that wider community which is important for its long-term survival," he added.

"As is well-known, the coastal parishes of north Norfolk are trying to encourage young people and families to stay in the area, and this is another blow to those efforts."

North West Norfolk MP James Wild (Image: Richard Townshend Photography)

North West Norfolk MP James Wild said: "While it is welcome DNEAT has confirmed it will not seek a January 1 closure, this was never practical or fair.

"Continuing to the end of the academic year is the minimum sensible approach for any proposal and it would be better to withdraw this plan and engage properly with parents and the community to address the real challenges the school faces."

WHAT DOES DNEAT SAY NOW?

DNEAT chief executive Oliver Burwood (Image: DNEAT) Oliver Burwood, DNEAT's chief executive, said new housing in Brancaster Staithe did not guarantee a stay of execution for the school.

"The amount of new pupils that building homes produces is surprisingly low," he added.

"We don't decide whether any school gets to close, its a DfE decision. All we can do is put forward a business case if we feel its the right thing to do.

Families on the march to save the village school at Brancaster (Image: Chris Bishop)

"As communicated to families, there wouldn't be time for the DfE to process this now for a potential Jan 1 merger.

"DNEAT remains committed to running proper consultations with families, communities and other stakeholders around extremely small schools that are likely to see a decline in pupil population in the future."