PLANS to close Horton-in-Ribblesdale Primary School are forging ahead - despite the decision of the governors to advertise for a new headteacher.

Next week, North Yorkshire County Council's Executive will consider a recommendation to publish closure proposals for the 'outstanding' school, which has just 15 pupils and currently no headteacher.

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Meanwhile, the Friends of Horton School group says it will fight on, despite a letter being sent to all parents announcing the council's intentions.

A statement on the group's facebook page urges parents to stay focused.

"The letter is designed to undermine the parents and community. FOHS have a very strong plan to secure the future of the school.

"The LEA (North Yorkshire County Council) are desperately trying to de-stabilise the school and propel the school to closure. Please be reassured that FOHS and governors are working extremely hard to secure the future of our school."

Approval by councillors next week will mean a final decision in January next year and the school - rated outstanding by Ofsted in 2010 - will close in April, and pupils transferred to Austwick Primary School, also rated outstanding.

County councillor Arthur Baker, executive member for schools, said the decision to move ahead with the plans, made with the Leeds Diocese had been taken with a 'very heavy heart'.

“Nobody likes to see the closure of a village school and North Yorkshire works very hard with its small schools to find sustainable solutions to keep them going.

“We have supported Horton-in-Ribblesdale to find alternative arrangements but sadly these have not worked out and our priority must be the children and their entitlement to the highest quality of teaching and learning throughout their schooling.”

Parents, governors and staff at the school were told this week about Tuesday's meeting of the council Executive and its proposals to move ahead with closure.

The school currently has just 15 children on its roll, no new pupils this year and no substantive headteacher.

Although the school has collaborated with Austwick and Clapham primary schools, both the council’s children and young people’s service and the Diocese of Leeds believe that the school in the long term will not be able to provide the social and educational breadth and quality that children require.

It is also believed that the school will struggle to be financially sustainable.

Parents, however, say the school plays a vital part of the community and that without it, children face long journeys to get to alternative schools.

Governors decided last week not to publish closure notices and announced their intention to seek a further interim headteacher for two terms and to re-advertise for a permanent headteacher.

If the council executive agrees to go ahead and publish statutory closure notices, there will be a 28 day representation period for parents and others to present their views. Councillors will then be asked to make a final decision on January 31, next year.