PARENTS of children going to under threat of closure Ings Community Primary School in Skipton have until Monday to apply for a transfer to another school.

Following a meeting between parents and North Yorkshire County Council officers, parents are being offered the chance of moving their children to another school in the area.

There will also be a separate consultation on the future of the school - which has just 42 children on its roll and which has been declared unsustainable by its governors.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire County Council said: “A meeting for parents was held at Ings School on Thursday June 15 to support parents and inform them about school places and choices for their children. Council officers provided information on all local schools and those parents who wish to make a transfer application for September have been asked to do so by Monday June 26.

"The council is making every effort to support parents and is working with local schools to adopt a co-ordinated approach for any applications which will take account of family groups, parental preference and travel distances to alternative schools."

The spokesman added: "There will be a separate consultation meeting on the future of Ings, including the closure proposal, for parents and members of the local community in July and further details will be circulated when the public consultation begins on Monday, June 26."

The Broughton Road school has capacity for 84 children, but currently has just half of that, with five children in its nursery.

It was judged inadequate by Ofsted in 2013 and again in 2014 and last year was recorded as 'needing improvement' by the education watchdog.

The consultation will look at closure, which if approved would go ahead in December, but also at the possibility of setting up an academy school on the same site.