A primary school near Masham with just six pupils will close permanently this summer.

Kell Bank C of E Primary will shut it’s doors after the closure was given the go-ahead by senior councillors at North Yorkshire County Council.

The school is designed to accommodate 50 pupils, but numbers have fallen in recent years, with the county council saying the drop in pupils is ‘not financially sustainable’.

There’s been a school on the site for around 200 years, with the first one opening in 1820.

Two of the current six pupils will be moving up to secondary school this summer anyway, with the remaining four pupils set to be offered places at other nearby primaries.

Stuart Carlton, Director of North Yorkshire County Council’s Children and Young People’s Service said:

“Whenever we have to take forward a proposal for school closure we do so with a heavy heart. We know the value of village schools but such low numbers cannot financially sustain a school and can have a negative impact on the social and educational interests of children remaining.

“During the consultation on closure there was generally an acceptance that with only six pupils on roll, the school would not be able to continue.  This week’s decision to close Kell Bank is immensely sad given its long history but there was no alternative in the circumstances.”

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