The Children & Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to consider a call-in regarding the decision to close Great Alne Primary School. The committee ultimately decided to take no further action, meaning the Cabinet's decision to close the school will proceed.

Call-In: Great Alne Primary School

The committee considered a call-in request concerning the Cabinet's decision on 16 April 2026 to close Great Alne Primary School from 31 August 2026. The call-in was initiated by Councillors James Norris, Jennifer McAllister, Cliff Brown, and Steve Albon, who raised concerns about the process and potential impacts of the closure.

Arguments for Reconsideration:

• Self-fulfilling closure process: It was argued that the decision to consult on closure, announced with short notice, encouraged parents to withdraw their children, leading to a decline in pupil numbers that was then used to justify the closure. This was described as a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• Admissions portal error: Concerns were raised that parents were unable to select Great Alne Primary School as a reception choice for September 2026 due to an error on the admissions portal. Some parents were allegedly told by council staff that this was due to the closure process, which suppressed pupil numbers and did not accurately reflect parental demand.
• Future housing development: The ongoing development of the South Warwickshire Local Plan, which includes proposals for up to 6,700 new houses in the Alcester and Wilmcote area, was highlighted. It was argued that this would necessitate more school places, and the decision to close Great Alne Primary School should be postponed until future demand could be properly assessed.
• Transport implications: The nearest school with available places was stated to be four miles away in Wilmcote. Concerns were raised about the increased cost of home-to-school transport for both the council and families, arguing this was a material consideration that should have been central to the decision.

Arguments for the Cabinet's Decision:

• Financial and educational unsustainability: Councillor Wayne Briggs, Portfolio Holder for Education, stated that the school was no longer educationally or financially sustainable. With only nine pupils remaining and 92% of places unfilled, the school had a forecast deficit of £422,000.
• Admissions portal error impact: While acknowledging a human error that omitted the school from the admissions portal for 19 days, officers stated that only one parent had inquired during that time and was contacted directly. They did not believe this had a significant impact on applications.
• South Warwickshire Local Plan timeline: It was explained that the South Warwickshire Local Plan was still in its early stages, with a definitive plan not expected until June 2027. Any future housing development could be more than 10 years away, and large strategic sites would be expected to provide their own education infrastructure.
• Transport considerations: Transport impacts were considered under rural closure factors. The nearest schools were identified, and it was stated that for existing pupils, alternative places were available within 1.3 to 5 miles. For the four children who would need new places, the transport cost impact was deemed negligible.

Officer and Committee Member Contributions:

• Johnny Kyriacou, Director of Education, clarified that the statutory consultation process involves two stages and that parents were made aware of the potential closure during the initial consultation.
• Councillor Phil Johnson supported the Cabinet's decision, citing the school's long-term deficit and the impracticality of subsidising a single struggling school.
• Councillor Jennifer McAllister questioned the dates of the admissions portal errors and expressed doubt that parents would have contacted the admissions team if they couldn't select the school.
• Councillor James Norris raised concerns about the lack of democratic accountability and scrutiny, as the committee could only debate the decision after it had been made and children had already left the school.
• Councillor Nicki Scott made an emotional plea, highlighting the importance of village schools as community hubs and questioning how closing a school could be in the best interests of the community.
• Councillor John Waine reiterated the financial unsustainability of the school, noting the significant deficit and the potential for new housing developments to include conditions for new school infrastructure.
• Councillor Andy Crump inquired about negotiations between district councils and the education authority regarding strategic growth locations and school places.
• Councillor Sarah Boad expressed regret that the school had not been fought for harder, suggesting that the emergency decision to consult had killed the school stone dead.
• Councillor Wayne Briggs defended the decision, stating it was based on observable facts and the school's collapse, not political alignment.
• Councillor James Norris and Councillor Jennifer McAllister reiterated their concerns about the process and the lack of scrutiny.
• Matt Biggs, Head of Access to Education, provided assurances regarding support for pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and the admissions process for future cohorts. He confirmed that no family would be left without a school place.
• Councillor John Waine noted that while he valued community spirit, financial reality dictated the decision.
• Councillor Andy Crump asked about the scale of development needed to generate an additional primary school.
• Councillor Sarah Boad suggested that the decision to consult was a short term reaction and that the school had not been given enough time to recover.
• Councillor James Norris and Councillor Jennifer McAllister questioned why the decision to start the closure process was made on an urgent basis.
• Councillor Wayne Briggs stated that the decision was based on observable facts and that the anti-closure case was built on future possibility rather than present viability.
• Councillor Nicki Scott highlighted that a quarter of the admissions portal's open time was affected by an error.
• Councillor James Norris argued that the calling was based on errors and mistakes in the process, not emotion, and that the school had a positive future.
• Councillor Jennifer McAllister raised concerns about the lack of a SEND impact assessment.
• Matt Biggs assured that children with EHCPs would be supported and that no family would be left without a school place.
• Councillor John Waine stated that the school was not financially viable with only nine pupils.
• Councillor Andy Crump asked about the probability of rebuilding a school in the future if the current one was closed.
• Councillor Sarah Boad suggested that the decision to consult had killed the school stone dead.
• Councillor Wayne Briggs stated that the decision was based on facts, not emotion.
• Councillor James Norris and Councillor Jennifer McAllister reiterated their concerns about the process.
• Councillor Nicki Scott made an emotional case for keeping the school open.
• Councillor James Norris raised concerns about the availability of reception places if Great Alne closed.
• Councillor Jennifer McAllister raised concerns about SEND provision.
• Matt Biggs assured that families would be supported to find school places.
• Councillor John Waine reiterated the financial unsustainability of the school.
• Councillor Andy Crump asked about the scale of development needed for a new school.
• Councillor Sarah Boad expressed regret that the school had not been fought for harder.
• Councillor Wayne Briggs defended the decision as fact-based.
• Councillor James Norris and Councillor Jennifer McAllister reiterated their concerns about the process.
• Councillor Nicki Scott made an emotional plea for the school to remain open.
• Councillor James Norris raised concerns about the availability of reception places.
• Councillor Jennifer McAllister raised concerns about SEND provision.
• Matt Biggs assured that families would be supported.
• Councillor John Waine reiterated the financial unsustainability.
• Councillor Andy Crump asked about the scale of development needed for a new school.
• Councillor Sarah Boad expressed regret that the school had not been fought for harder.
• Councillor Wayne Briggs defended the decision as fact-based.

Decision:

The committee voted on two motions:

1. Refer the matter back to Cabinet for reconsideration: This motion was lost, with five votes against and four in favour.
2. Make no further comments to Cabinet: This motion was passed, with five votes in favour and four against.

Therefore, the committee decided to take no further action, allowing the Cabinet's decision to close Great Alne Primary School to proceed. The Chair noted that while the decision was difficult, it was based on statutory requirements and financial realities. The committee expressed hope that the school building could potentially be used as a community facility or for SEND provision in the future.