Ferncumbe School (Oct 24 2003)
Children at Ferncumbe School. OCT190 |
Pupils and teachers were celebrating this week after rebuilding their school from scratch following a threat of closure.
A new classroom, staff room, meeting room, office, kitchen and play area were completed this week after Ferncumbe School in Hatton Green turned its fortunes round.
The tiny village school was at risk of being shut down four years ago because it was the smallest in Warwickshire with just 43 pupils.
But the number has now almost doubled and the school’s expansion finished this week.
Headteacher Sarah Davies came two years ago and made it her project to turn the school around.
She said: “When I came here I had almost a whole team of new staff so it was like starting from the beginning again.
“It was difficult because the possibility of closure had always been there, which meant even more parents were worried about sending their children here.
“But we have worked very hard and the building of the new Hatton Park estate has also helped us to increase our number of pupils to 83.
“Now when you look at the school, it’s hard to believe it was nearly closed down.
“I don’t know where these children would go to school if they didn’t come here.”
The school takes children from Hatton, Beausale, Wroxall, Haseley and Honiley, as will as the new Hatton Park.
There are now 18 full and part-time teachers and between 18 and 25 pupils in each of the four classes.
An old caretaker’s cottage has now been transformed into new rooms and a new computer suite, and a small playground area has been created, at a cost of £50,000.
The new part of the school will be officially opened by country education officer Eric Wood today (Friday).
Mr Wood said: “This has been an excellent and imaginative use of resources. I congratulate the school and its governing body on its achievement.”
