Support from Neighbouring Schools

The Chair of Governors at Kettleshulme St James CE Primary School wrote to DDC:

"We have enjoyed a close co-operation with Combs for a long time and over the years a number of children have joined us at Kettleshulme on reaching junior school age. Combs is an excellent school which gives the children a first class start to their school lives.

"It is true that Combs is a small infant school. But it serves a small community and is central to it. Derbyshire is, for the most part, a rural county, so you should understand and cherish the special role which small community institutions (such as a school) play in maintaining the life in a viable country village. In the case of Combs, the school building is also the Village Hall, the future of which is less than certain without the school. For good reasons the Government advises that there should be a presumption against closure of small rural community schools unless there is a compelling case. Is Combs not a good example of the lack of a compelling case?"

This added to what the Chair of Governors at Taxal and Fernilee CE Primary School had already written to DCC:

"While we recognise the financial implications of maintaining a very small school such as Combs we do feel that, as a Governing Body, we want to register our support for the school and opposition to the proposed closure.

"Combs is a small but thriving community and the school forms a vital part of that community. As a larger, but still very much community based school ourselves, we do feel it important that we support other schools in rural communities.

"We understand only too well the financial constraints on the Authority but hope that you can take the wider view of the social implications of the proposed closure."