THE DECISION to close Great Alne Primary School has been branded “short-sighted”.
Members of Warwickshire County Council recently voted to close the village school at the end of this academic year.
Education chiefs had proposed the closure due to a significant reduction in pupils joining over the last five years – from 102 in January 2021 to 13 in January 2026.
An official WCC statement reads: “The high number of unfilled places at the school means that the school has become financially unviable. With no projected increase in numbers and a growing budget deficit, the school will not be able to sustain the financial and educational responsibilities to their pupils and staff.”
Parents, councillors and Stratford’s MP Manuela Perteghella all campaigned to keep the school open.
In February, Dr Perteghella debated the issue of rural schools in Westminster, highlighting their importance to community life, and to the welfare of local children and families.
Following the decision to close the school, Dr Perteghella said: “This local school is central to community life in rural Great Alne and closing it, instead of working with the school and supporting it, is short sighted and completely lacking in strategic direction.
“The school went through a period of difficulty, and Reform appear to have weaponised this in authorising the school’s closure, yet the Ofsted inspection of July 2025 demonstrated that the school has made very good progress and was on an upward trajectory. This appears to have been disregarded completely.
“Closing Great Alne school is a terrible decision. Children and families in the area will pay the price for this for years to come.”
Dr Perteghella continued that it also disregarded the direction of travel for the area.
She added: “Under this Labour government, rural areas nationwide are being forced into taking the brunt of new housing developments. One of the many reasons why people oppose new developments is because of the knock-on effect to local infrastructure. People rightly worry about doctors’ appointments, school places and the impact on local roads – especially if they are already littered with potholes.
“And I should know. I take calls and emails daily from constituents who are concerned about these things, not to mention the lack of support for children with special educational needs.
“I will be now campaigning with fellow Liberal Democrat councillors to keep Great Alne school as an educational asset.”
