EDUCATION bosses WILL now consult on controversial plans to close one of the county's smallest primary schools.

Although Hexton Junior, Middle and Infant School can take up to 70 pupils, latest data shows it is less than half full – with 31 pupils spit between just two classes.

Education officials say low pupil numbers at the school makes it difficult for teachers to plan the curriculum.

And – pointing to forecasts of future low demand and fears about its future financial viability – they have drawn up closure proposals.

Those closure plans have been opposed by the school's governing body, who say they have a 'challenging but viable' plan for the school's future.

And more than 400 people have signed a petition calling for the move towards consultation to be halted – and for the school to remain open.

But at a meeting of the county council's cabinet on Monday (September 20) councillors agreed that the consultation SHOULD go ahead.

At the meeting executive member for education, libraries and lifelong learning Cllr Terry Douris said it was 'never a nice thing to recommend a consultation to close a school'.

He acknowledged the school's 175-year history, but said that they couldn't 'shy away from the facts that exist'.

And he reported that just 'seven, possibly eight' of the existing pupils were actually from Hexton – with others attending from Hitchin, Letchworth, Luton and Central Bedfordshire.

He said Hexton was a "lovely village", but that it had too few children – pointing to figures that suggested there were just two pre-school children in the village who would be ready to start school in the next three years.

And in reference to calls for the school to be given three years to increase numbers, he said: "Sadly there is no evidence to support the fact that there is the number of children who are going to be available to go to Hexton School in the immediate future – or for some years to come."

And he later added: "I would love to be able to think that circumstances would change and suddenly Hexton School will achieve its full number of 70 pupils – but I genuinely can't see that happening.

"I am not pre-empting the outcome of the consultation – but I am stating a fact as I see it."

Meanwhile deputy leader of the county council Cllr Morris Bright recognised that the issue was "emotive" and "difficult".

But he stressed that the recommendation was to proceed to consultation – and was NOT a decision to close a school.

That was echoed by leader of the county council Cllr Richard Roberts, although he accepted it did suggest 'a certain trajectory'.

"It is with a heavy heart that we even go forward with a consultation," he said.

"This is not the final decision, but simply bringing forward the consultation proposal suggests a certain trajectory.

"I think it is quite disturbing just how few children there are in Hexton, in a sense, to support the school."

Cllr Roberts did ask whether there were any significant housing developments expected to happen in or around Hexton, which might affect the school's long-term size and viability.

But Cllr Douris said that he was not aware of any development that could affect its viability.

According to the officer's report, in Spring 2021 there were 41 pupils at the school – although just 19 lived in Hertfordshire.

And it says that the school has advised them that at the start of the autumn term they have just 31.

Pointing to the challenges associated with the low numbers, it states: "As a result of low pupil numbers, the school is forced to organise across two classes.

"Teaching such a range of ages in one class makes curriculum planning and delivery challenging.

"The breadth of need in each class creates difficulties for leaders and teachers to plan the school's curriculum so that it is coherent and appropriately sequenced to meet pupils' needs.

"Despite the best efforts of staff, there is inevitably a risk that the educational experience of each pupil is therefore not as good as it might be in another context."

As a result of the cabinet's decision the consultation is now expected to take place between September 30 and November 3.

Following that consultation, councillors will make a final decision in January (2022) – with the possible closure taking effect from the August (2022).