Village Schools set for Closure

Hundreds of village schools are set to close as they are failing to meet government targets for pupil numbers. The falling birth rate and a demographic shift are said to be responsible. This is a huge blow for those who see a more informal learning environment to be crucial in aiding the development of early reading skills.

Small village schools, with smaller class sizes and greater community involvement, often out perform their city counterparts. Children’s reading ability is more often seen above the national average at these schools even though teachers often have to teach more than one year group in a class. In spite of this they still manage to give more individual attention, often because of the learning set up, where they are more individually acquainted with their pupil’s progress. The closure of these schools is seen as a death nail for a more traditional learning environment which parents feel is desirable.