A VILLAGE is to lose its school in spite of passionate pleading from parents and community leaders.

The legality of the decision was questioned and scorn poured on the county's lack of detailed analysis.

And a mother made a heartfelt appeal to the School Organisation Committee to keep open the Milton Abbas base of The Dunbury School.

But the vote to close it was unanimous.

Rosemary Isaac, chair of governors of the federated school, which also has bases in Winterbornes Whitechurch, Stickland and Kingston, said she had lost sleep over the "painful" decision.

Moving to the three-base option meant "the difference between average standards and excellent standards", she said.

"We can't afford to delay and fall behind the rest of the Blandford pyramid."

Mrs Isaac also explained why governors had recommended the closure just months after backing a new school in Milton Abbas at Catherine's Well.

That consultation had been carried out before there was any hint of reorganisation of the Blandford pyramid and before Dunbury had been asked to lose its over-capacity.

Ironically, the letter about the change from a three to a two-tier system had arrived on the same day as the planning permission for the new school, she said.

But Milton Abbas parish councillor John Fifield said there were five other rural schools in Dorset with numbers comparable to Milton Abbas which were not under threat.

"Milton Abbas has drawn the short straw," he said.

Mr Fifield said the case did not satisfy government criteria which had a presumption against closure.

No detailed analysis comparing the differences between a three and a four-based school nor between the projected new school at Catherine's Well and Winterborne Stickland had been forthcoming.

"Many generalised statements have been released to the public but not enough detailed information to support them," he said.

Freddy Robinson begged the committee to put themselves in her shoes as the mother of a toddler.

"Twelve months ago I was promised a brand new, purpose-built school on my doorstep," she said.

She questioned whether the facts and figures supplied by the LEA stood up to legal scrutiny.

Milton Abbas school will close next August when the Dunbury becomes a primary instead of a first school.

First published: September 22