PARENTS in south Warwickshire have started a campaign to save their village school from shutting down.
Great Alne Primary School, near Alcester is at risk of closure because of falling pupil numbers, and has become financially unviable according to a report by Warwickshire County Council (WCC).
Following its publication, WCC has begun an ‘informal’ consultation which has prompted campaign leader Mariah Clarke to urge people to ‘make their voices heard’ and write to the council with their views.
Parent campaigners Mariah Clarke and Matthew Hobday. Picture by Lise Evans
At a protest outside the school on Monday afternoon, Mrs Clarke told the Standard:
“We dispute that fact that the council said there are spaces available in alternative local schools. I have visited three in the area and they are all oversubscribed.”
Mrs Clarke, whose daughter has recently joined the reception class, added: “We love the school and my daughter is very happy here.
“She doesn’t deal well in large groups so this is perfect for her.
“We need schools like this for children who benefit from smaller class sizes and learning environment.”
Protest supporters at Great Alne Primary School. Picture by Lise Evans
The council has said that in the last five years pupil numbers have dropped year on year from 102 in 2020/21 to 21 in October 2025. As of November there are currently 19 children on the school roll taught in two classes.
WCC said that over the years it had invested in support to the school in terms of financial assistance, school improvement and marketing/promotional perspective and undertaken all reasonable endeavours to support longer term viability.
Mrs Clarke also spoke about the surprise felt when the consultation was announced without warning following the October 31 county council report.
“We have good plans in place to increase numbers and had the consultation not been announced we would have had more pupils join us. They’ve ruined our chances of saving the school.”
An Ofsted report published in October brought the school out of special measures much to the joy of the school community.
“We haven’t been given enough time or a fair chance to improve the school. In the last six months the school has been brilliant and really turned around with a new team.
“This [consultation announcement] has really wiped us out. We were absolutely shocked.”
Former parent Kathryn Brereton was one of the many people to come out in support of the protest.
Kathryn, who had three children go through the school, said: “I want to support the school because it has been a huge part of the village for many, many years. It’s a big reason why my family moved here and why other families would consider moving to Great Alne.
“It’s very, very sad that it’s come to this, and I think it has been unnecessary as it didn’t need to happen if the local authority had stepped in sooner and given necessary and adequate support, then it wouldn’t have come to this.”
She said that ever since the school was judged ‘inadequate’ in 2023 it had “unravelled” as people “don’t want to send their children to a school that is in special measures”.
“My children had a very happy time here, it’s been a brilliant school and it could be again with the leadership and support from the local authority.”
Great Alne has had its own primary school since Victorian times with the present school built in 1965.
The consultation on the school’s future ends on December 12. Visit: https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/schools/great-alne/ to have a say.
A Change.org petition to stop its closure started by supporters can be accessed here.
