Petition Petition against the closure of rural village schools

We are petitioning against the proposed closures of rural village schools. The introduction of a national formula for the funding of schools in April 2013 is reasoned for many of the proposed closures.
We believe the government should review the allocation of funding and give local County Councils more flexibilty and support to help retain these schools.
Research has shown that rural schools often excel in their standards of education and achieve standards of equal and higher than their larger counterparts.
The loss of a rural school causes a great impact on village communities and in turn can lead to outward-migration, population decline and a decrease in housing prices.
We believe the government has a duty to act and protect small schools in rural areas and support their educational services.