THE plight of rural schools across North Yorkshire has added another school federation questioning its viability in the future.

The Mount Grace Federation, combining Osmotherley Primary School, Ingleby Arncliffe Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School and Swainby and Potto Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, between Northallerton and Stokesley, was formed last year in a bid to save all three sites.

Children are taught in their home school on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and on Thursday and Friday they are split into three age groups across the sites.

Parents had been happy with this arrangement – but last week were told changes had to be made to make the federation viable and given the option of all children being split by age group with the youngest at one site, middle group in another and the oldest in another; or to leave Osmotherley school as it is and split the children from the other two sites by age group.

Across the Yorkshire Dales, small village schools have been struggling for some time and many have forged links to create a federation in a bid to safeguard their future.

Jo Mackle, principal primary adviser for North Yorkshire County Council, said government plans for academies to take over could mean the death of small schools, but future of all three schools was strengthened by being part of a federation.

She said: “Village schools everywhere are all under threat. Young families are moving to the towns, rolls are falling and all are facing a teacher shortage. Small schools not part of a federation are much more vulnerable.”

One parent, who did not wish to be named, said: “Both options meant any family with more than one child would be split across if not two schools then possibly three.

“As an Ingleby Arncliffe school parent I do not feel this is good enough or that Swainby or Ingelby Arncliffe have been given a fair deal.”

A spokesman for the federation said: “All three schools are small rural primary schools with fewer than 90 pupils across the federation, which means they face significant financial challenges as well as the challenge of delivering a high-quality education in a very rural area with very small cohort sizes at each key stage.

“The headteacher and governors have been proactive in seeking to support the three communities and to protect and develop the educational opportunities for the children who live in them.

“The governors have agreed an option that takes into account the suggestions made by parents - that Osmotherley School will continue to operate as at present, and pupils attending the other two schools will be taught at the Swainby and Potto site for one half of the academic year and the Ingleby Arncliffe site for the other half.

“Parents were informed of this decision earlier this week and initial feedback has been positive.”