Nottinghamshire County Council is moving closer to a decision on the future of Dean Hole Church of England Primary School in Caunton after a formal consultation found that closure was the most supported option among respondents.
A report presented to the council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities on 6 January 2026 sets out the background to the consultation, the responses received, and the reasons officers are now recommending the publication of a statutory notice proposing the school’s closure.
Dean Hole CofE Primary School is a small, voluntary controlled village school serving the Caunton-Norwell primary planning area in the Newark district. It has a published admission number of eight pupils per year and is maintained by Nottinghamshire County Council. Despite its small size, the school was rated ‘Good’ at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2025.
However, the report makes clear that the school has faced long-term challenges linked to falling pupil numbers and financial sustainability. Pupil numbers have dropped sharply over recent years, from 32 on roll in October 2021 to just 10 pupils by December 2025. Council officers say this decline has had a significant impact on the school’s budget, with an accumulated deficit from 2023/24 and projections showing an increasing revenue shortfall by the end of the 2025/26 financial year.
This is not the first time the future of Dean Hole Primary has been under review. In 2023, the school’s governing body asked the county council to consult on its future. That earlier consultation found a majority of respondents in favour of keeping the school open, and during the process a proposal emerged for the school to join Team Education Trust as an academy. With the support of the Diocese and the Department for Education, an academisation date of 1 September 2025 was agreed.
However, in August 2025 the council was informed by the Department for Education that the academisation would be paused. Two months later, in October, the council received confirmation that the process could not proceed at all, due to factors not related to the school itself. Staff were informed of the decision, leaving the school once again in an uncertain position.
Against that backdrop, the governing body requested a further consultation in November 2025, in line with national statutory guidance on opening and closing maintained schools. A pre-publication consultation exploring options including possible closure ran from 10 November to 7 December 2025, following meetings with parents, staff and governors.
A total of 25 responses were received, with 24 respondents answering the consultation questions and one submitting a personal statement. The option that received the highest level of support was closure, backed by 40 per cent of respondents. Amalgamation with another school attracted 36 per cent of responses, while 12 per cent supported continuing with no change and 4 per cent favoured academisation.
The report includes a range of comments from respondents who supported closure, many of whom pointed to the very low number of pupils on roll, the lack of local children attending the school, and concerns about whether the current environment could provide appropriate social development for pupils. Several respondents highlighted the strain placed on staff by prolonged uncertainty, noting that the headteacher has only been commissioned from Team Education Trust until the end of the spring term.
Other responses argued that the school is no longer operating as a viable mainstream primary, with a high proportion of pupils having complex special educational needs. While some parents value the nurturing environment and believe their children are thriving, the council and the Diocese have stated they do not support the school becoming a specialist provision without a full redesignation process, which would require Department for Education approval and a further lengthy statutory process.
Alternative options were examined as part of the consultation. Officers concluded that continuing with no change is not realistic due to the growing deficit, leadership uncertainty and the educational limitations of such a small cohort. Academisation was ruled out after diocesan trusts confirmed they could not take on the school, and no other trust expressed interest. Amalgamation was also explored but discounted, as nearby schools were either full or unable to absorb additional pupils without creating further financial and logistical pressures.
As a result, council officers are recommending that statutory notices proposing closure are published, triggering a four-week representation period during which further views can be submitted. A final decision would then be taken by the Cabinet Member, in line with the council’s constitution and statutory responsibilities.
