Secondary school pupil rolls are falling

The 530-pupils Alfred Barrow school in Barrow was singled out because of falling roll numbers, concern about the building and poor performance.

But Cumbria County Council has shelved the plans for the time being, despite a recommendation from the authority's own director of education.

Instead, a review of all secondary education in Barrow has been ordered by the council.

There had been a recommendation from Cumbria County Council's director of education and also from the government that the school should close because of falling pupil numbers and the condition of buildings.

But the council's cabinet spokeswoman for education Joan Stocker, rejected the recommendations - at least for the time being.

But she warned: "Alfred Barrow School may still close.

'Excellent school

"What we are trying to do is build schools for the future and what we want is a review of schools so we can have a report that we all agree on."

It is predicted that in the next 10 years the school population of Barrow is likely to fall by around 25%.

But Mrs Stocker admitted the school site was in a poor condition and that possibilities for modernisation were restricted."

She said academic achievement was amongst the lowest 1% in the country, despite a newly-appointed headteacher.

The school remains only two-thirds full.

But Headteacher Linda Potts said: "This is an excellent school with tremendously hardworking and staff and we just want to get on with the job of teaching the pupils."

And Barrow councillor Anne Burns added: "My worry is that this is a fudge and that in the long-term this undermines the confidence of the school in the community.

"It may close by the back door because pupils won't go if the school is under threat and so the numbers will fall even further."