RATHMELL CoE Primary School looks set to close at the end of the school year.

Statutory closure notices were issued last Thursday and there will now be a four week consultation with a final decision due on June 13 by the Executive of North Yorkshire County Council.

If the Executive agrees, the school will close on August 31.

The governors started consulting about the future of the school in February because of concerns about falling pupil numbers and the school's financial position.

In September, there were just 19 children in the school, with the number expected to fall to 15 at the start of the next school year.

In addition, the school, which has capacity for up t0 63 children, ran at a deficit of £11,210 in the last financial year. With an expected further drop in pupil numbers, the deficit is set to increase to £65,500 in 2017/18 and to £76,530 in 2018/19, with no prospect of recovery.

If the school is closed, it is proposed to increase the catchment area for Long Preston Primary School to include Rathmell. Long Preston school, which is just more than four miles from Rathmell, and was last rated 'good' by Ofsted, currently has 60 pupils on its roll, but is under subscribed with a capacity of up to 84 children.

Settle Primary School, three miles from Rathmell, also judged as 'good' by Ofsted, has 177 pupils on its roll, with a capacity of 210; while Giggleswick, also three miles away, and judged as 'good' has 71 pupils, with capacity to take 19 more,

On Wednesday (May 24) a meeting is due to be held at Horton -in-Ribblesdale CoE Primary School about its future.

Supporters and governors of the school, which has just 12 children, are fighting a decision taken by North Yorkshire County Council earlier this year to close the school at the end of the school year.

An adjudicator from the Office of the Schools Adjudicator has invited people to make representations at the public meeting and can ultimately reverse the council's decision.

The meeting at the school is due to start at 6.30pm on Wednesday.