A PLAN to effectively merge a state school into a new integrated primary has caused pupils to leave in their droves.
The integrated plan was scrapped after parents pulled their children out of Castlewellan Primary School - which is now facing closure due to low numbers.
Just 18 of the 110 places are filled this year - a fall from 63 in 2012. There is just one child in P1.
The Education Authority (EA) is now bringing forward a proposal to close the school permanently.
It has outlined its reasons in a `case for change' document ahead of a consultation.
Castlewellan PS and its Moderate Learning Difficulties class will "discontinue" by summer 2020.
It is the last remaining controlled school in the town. Castlewellan High School closed in 1991 when it merged with Killyleagh and Quoile high schools to form Down Academy.
The EA said it brought forward a suite of proposals in 2018 for Castlewellan PS and Annsborough Integrated PS which would have resulted in the closure of both and the establishment of a new controlled integrated primary school with specialist provision attached.
The authority carried out pre-publication consultation with the staff, parents and governors of both schools.
Governors were said to be in favour of the plan, however, prior to bringing forward papers to move to the next stage, "a number of parents of pupils attending Castlewellan Primary School decided to relocate their children to alternative primary providers in the area".
The result of this was a decline in the enrolment of Castlewellan "to a point where the potential establishment of a new controlled integrated primary school was no longer viable".
Enrolments had already been falling before the integrated plan was proposed. The school has 110 places but had a high of 67 in 2010. Five years later this fell to 44 then 36 prior to the integrated plan being brought forward.
With just 18 children left the EA said it was forced to reassess its options.
It will close Castlewellan, pending approval from the Department of Education, and retain Annsborough Integrated PS.
"Based on its current and forecasted financial position Castlewellan Primary School will be unable to afford to continue to employ their current level of staff and a reduction of staff would make it very difficult in the future to provide the breadth and depth of curriculum which should be enjoyed by the pupils.," the EA said.
"The school's financial position is projected to steadily worsen.
"The authority believes the closure of Castlewellan Primary School, and providing the pupils places in neighbouring controlled schools, is in the best interests of the pupils. It would mean the relocated Castlewellan pupils would be taught in larger classes and will allow for improved social interaction between the pupils."
