Primary school is to close this summer

FAMILIES have just weeks to get their children into alternative schools after a council voted to close their village primary this summer.

Campaigners had fought to save Church Lawton Primary School, near Alsager, but finally lost their year-long battle yesterday.

Now parents will be asked to nominate other schools for their children, so they can be allocated places for September.

Cheshire East Council has assured them it will try to keep siblings together. But choices will be limited as many schools in the area are thought to be full in key year groups. Staff also face an uncertain future.

School governor Mark Nichols, from Mow Cop, has twin six-year-old daughters and a 10-year-old son there. His eldest child will have the upheaval of moving to a new school in his SATs year.

Mr Nichols, aged 46, said: "We've had to tell our children their school is going to close. We are all very upset."

He is now considering Cranberry Primary, in Alsager. But he says losing Church Lawton will have a devastating effect.

"They are turning Church Lawton into a dormitory village. The school is at the heart of the community," he added.

The decision was made by Cheshire East Council's school organisation sub-committee yesterday. It will officially shut on August 31.

The former Cheshire County Council drew up proposals to close the school last year as part of a review of school places across the www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/mytowncongleton">Congleton district.

Officials said there were seven other primaries within a two-mile radius of Church Lawton, with significant surplus places overall.

Despite having capacity for 105 pupils, Church Lawton currently educates fewer than 40. But campaigners claim the school has lost around 30 children as a direct result of the closure threat.

School governors had tried to persuade officials to accept a two-year recovery plan which included steps to market the school, use spare space for support services and community activities.

Joy Sidley-Brooks, who lives in Church Lawton, said: "We're just devastated. It feels like your family has been shattered.

"Children don't want to lose their friends, but other schools are full, so they will just have to go where they can go. It's disgusting that they've made this decision just five weeks before the end of term."

Mrs Sidley-Brooks sent her three children, aged six, seven and 10, to Church Lawton, but moved them to St Thomas' Primary, in Kidsgrove, a few days ago.

She said: "I've got one child with cancer who has lost her hearing. St Thomas' has a deaf centre, but we would have come back to Church Lawton if it wasn't going to close."