Threatened school opens for term

Lowick Primary School has

A tiny primary school in Cumbria that the county council wanted to close in July reopens for another term on Tuesday.

The closure of Lowick school was said to be necessary because of surplus places, but now the decision will have to be re-heard after an out-of-court settlement.

That agreement saw the original closure and redundancy notices quashed.

The School Organisation Committee is due to meet again on 12 September to consider the closure decision again, and it is feared they will come to the same conclusion.

Lowick's supporters are now arguing for that meeting to be deferred so full consideration can be given to plans to turn Lowick into a co-operative school.

Campaigners for the school, which has a couple of dozen pupils had claimed local people had not been properly consulted, and that the county council had failed to carry out its statutory duties.

South Lakeland Conservative MP Tim Collins had claimed political pressure was put on members of the committee not to vote in favour of keeping the school open.