A SMALL, rural, Catholic primary school that had considered jumping to the integrated sector, is to close permanently.
Barnish PS in Ballyvoy near Ballycastle will shut at the end of the summer.
Supporters had campaigned against the planned closure arguing it represented "an erosion of Catholic primary education in small rural communities".
Over the past few years, it experienced a downturn in enrolment numbers - from 91 in 2007/08 to 26 in 2019/20.
Last January, governors advised the Department of Education that a resolution had been passed to request a parental ballot regarding transformation to controlled integrated status.
The department was told in October that governors had decided not to proceed with this.
The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools had considered several options before recommending closure.
It said there was insufficient evidence that a cross-sectoral option, such as a joint-faith model or shared campus, could improve its sustainability.
Amalgamation with schools in Ballycastle was also explored but ruled out.
