Open Letter to HCC

Dear Cllr Jarvis,

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I am writing to express my concern regarding the potential closure of Sandon JMI School and
Albury Primary School, two village schools in my constituency.

As you may know, these schools will be subject to discussion at the upcoming Hertfordshire
County Council Cabinet meeting on 6 November. The decision taken at that meeting, on
whether to move to a formal consultation process, will have a serious bearing on the future
viability of these schools and the communities they serve.

Village schools are more than places of learning. They are community hubs, deeply woven into
the social and cultural fabric of their villages. Their closure would not only remove local
education provision but also risk long-term damage to the cohesion and sustainability of rural
life in these areas. Once village schools are closed, they rarely return.

I have visited Sandon JMI School and spoken with staff, parents, and the headteacher. The
school offers a distinctive and nurturing environment, particularly well-suited to children with
special educational needs. The forest school approach, clean air, and outdoor learning are part
of a unique offer that cannot easily be replicated elsewhere. While pupil numbers have declined
due to housing pressures and leadership instability, the school is now under stable leadership,
financially sound, and has welcomed new pupils this year. There is a clear desire from the
community to support its future, and I support them in that.

Similarly, I understand that Albury Primary School currently has 39 pupils on roll and faces
challenges due to mixed-age teaching and financial constraints.

As we approach the Cabinet meeting on 6 November, I urge the Council to consider the broader
implications of any decision to move to a consultation on closure. Such a move, in itself, will
signal Hertfordshire County Council’s thinking on these village schools and send a clear message
to prospective parents to educate their children elsewhere. I believe that initiating a formal
consultation at this stage risks undermining the schools’ ability to implement wider action plans
to address the challenges they face.

It is vital that we allow these schools a window for improvement—to explore alternatives
including federation and partnerships, and to innovate in order to boost pupil numbers and
demonstrate their future viability.

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I am therefore asking that the Cabinet defer its decision on 6 November to allow the schools and
their local communities sufficient time to develop and present alternative proposals. These
should be given fair consideration before any further steps are taken toward closure.
I invite you to join me in backing our wonderful and vibrant local village schools across
Hertfordshire and to do everything in your power to ensure they flourish for many years to
come.
 

Yours sincerely,

Chris Hinchliff MP
Member of Parliament for North East Hertfordshire
 

Sign the letter