Village school with only eight pupils to close

A village school in Nottinghamshire with only eight pupils will close this year amid "significant" financial issues.

Councillors have confirmed that Dean Hole CofE Primary School, in the rural village of Caunton, six miles north-west of Newark, will shut from 31 August.

Nottinghamshire County Council documents state low student numbers at the school "limits" their opportunities to learn alongside children their own age, take part in group work and make friends.

Bruce Laughton, who represents the village on the council described the move as a "kick in the teeth".

The authority's cabinet met on Thursday to discuss the potential closure.

Rory Green, cabinet member for children and families, said the authority was forecast to lose about £100,000 due to the school's budget deficit revenue balance by August 2026.

The school currently only has eight pupils and seven do not live within the catchment area.

Five pupils at the school have an Education, Health and Care Plan - a legal document for children with special educational needs (SEN) - with a sixth student applying for one.

A consultation took place between 14 January and 11 February, 2026, due to "current challenges" the school faced.

It received 95 responses, with 54 people objecting to the closure, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

However, about 80% of those respondents cited concerns for the loss of school buildings, rather than educational reasons.

Documents show there are five schools within 6.5 miles of Dean Hole Church of England Primary School.

Speaking at the meeting, Laughton said: "If this rural school closes, there is no village hall. This will drive a coach and horses through this community.

"This community is just recovering from having 27 properties with internal flooding from Storm Babet.

"You are going to give them another kick in the teeth."

James Walker-Gurley, cabinet member for economic development and asset management, said: "To give confidence and reassurance to the public, the needs of a community are baked into the process of site closures.

"We are committed to the community value of old school sites. We will ensure that while maximising our capital receipts, we are engaging with the community around future use of the site."

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