THE school set up on the Angle peninsula is set to be shaken up with a statutory consultation on proposals which include the potential closure of the area’s three schools given the go ahead.

A review of primary education in the Pembroke Family of Schools area was carried out in 2014 and since then three alternative deliver models have been identified including the potential closure of Angle VC, Orielton CP and Stackpole VC schools and establishing a new 3-11 English medium VC school on the peninsula.

Preliminary consultation, backed by a series of public meetings led to the options being identified.

As well as closure the schools coming under a federated umbrella with Monkton Priory CP is suggested or Federation with the closure of Orielton.

Surplus places and building condition and suitability are cited as reasons for the need for change.

All three schools have been judged to have good performances by Estyn.

They are currently led by one headteacher and have a higher cost per pupil than the county average, with the most expensive, Angle, some 61 per cent above average, the report states.

The report adds: “The location of the current schools and the geographic isolation of Angle in particular provide a challenge in meeting the aspirations of the various communities on the peninsula.”

Cabinet member for education and safeguarding Cllr Sue Perkins said the current set up was “not sustainable in the long term”.

Local member Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse declared an interest in the matter and had been given dispensation to speak but not vote.

“I would truly like to rubbish this report. We have three very good schools on the peninsula, the education the children receive is good, the ethos of the schools is as you would expect as a small village school. But I cannot fault the reasoning here, numbers have been declining steadily since I have been involved in the schools.

“The consultation process as to the way forward has been extensive. Naturally the status quo is favoured but declining numbers mean declining income and that’s no longer sustainable,” said Cllr Allen-Mirehouse.

He added that if the schools could not be kept in the villages the rural identity should be maintained by keeping a school on the peninsula.

The favoured option for a new school identifies three potential sites: Chapel Farm, west of Castlemartin; Castleton Farm on the B4320, and land at Maiden Wells, the latter considered the most suitable for a new build, which would have to be funded through the 21st Century Schools Strategic Programme.

St Ishmael’s member Cllr Reg Owens urged caution when considering federation of schools claiming when it happened on the Dale peninsula residents were “promised all sorts of things which ended up with three schools closing” and “when it was proposed we were told lies”.

Referring to Herbrandston he added: “When we lost the school it took the heart and soul out of the village for a while.”

Before Thursday’s meeting a letter on behalf of parents of Stackpole VC School was sent to all councillors.

The letter proposed an alternative solution for consideration: “That Stackpole VC School be used as the base site for the peninsula exploring alternative travel options. This will resolve the immediate issues of surplus places & individual school budget constraints whilst providing the most environmentally friendly solution and retaining a site in the “heart” of a community.

“This proposal could even be put forward on a trial basis if necessary, allowing the Council time to evaluate the logistics centred around school transport and journey times. Stackpole VC School can actually accommodate all the children on the peninsula in its current state for the duration of the trial period.”

Councillors voted in favour of beginning statutory consultation.