NORTH Yorkshire villagers are celebrating after moves to close their much-loved rural school were halted.

The 28-pupil Clapham CE Primary School has been thrown a lifeline by North Yorkshire County Council after considering the rescue plan drawn up by campaigners determined to keep the school open.

The council had proposed to shut the Victorian building in August saying it could not afford its own head teacher and was facing a £28,000 shortfall next year.

The public consultation on the closure sparked a huge reaction from the community with villagers setting up a campaign group and raising £15,000 in just a few days.

The decision to halt the closure process was taken at a special meeting of senior councillors to discuss the community's response to the proposed closure.

Cllr Patrick Mulligan, executive member for education and skills said: “Consulting on the closure of Clapham CE Primary School has touched upon some very significant matters about how children are thriving there and has galvanised governors and the community to put forward a viable action plan – congratulations to all involved.”

Campaigners shared evidence of increased pupil forecasts, thanks to new housing opportunities in the village, as well as improved financial prospects for the school.

Community action group chair Iain Crossley said villagers had felt listened to.

"We have and will continue to raise money for the school," he said. "We have and will continue to give of our time and expertise: to provide wraparound care, to share knowledge, skills and advice when problems seem too much.

"These are not the acts of a wealthy, privileged area; rather they’re what a farming community does. When part of our community goes through a tough patch we come together, we help and, above all, we protect a vital asset.”

Stuart Carlton, North Yorkshire’s corporate director for the children and young people’s service said: “We have more small rural schools with 50 or fewer pupils than any other county in England and we are committed to supporting them whenever we can – today is further evidence of that.

“This consultation process has delivered new ideas and evidence of increased housing development and initiatives to bring more families into the area that look set to raise pupil numbers across the school. That is critical to attract the government funds needed to help sustain Clapham’s future. There will be challenges ahead but I really hope this is a turning point for the school which is clearly a very much-loved community asset.”

Numbers of children attending Clapham school have fallen from 42 to 28 in the past five years. The community action group secured a pledge from local landlord the Ingleborough Estate to provide additional low-cost rented homes to families with young children. It has also established the Clapham Education Trust with the aim of making donations so the school’s deficit does not increase and will gradually recover.

Local county councillor David Ireton thanked officers and councillors for listening to the campaigners.

“You have given everyone the time and respect to get their point of view over," said Cllr Ireton. "I am here to support the governors and the action group to keep the school open and I am very pleased they will now have the opportunity to turn the school around.”

School governor Rev John Davies said: "The governors found that opening the door to consult on closure created some rare and important opportunities, which we have embraced: the opportunity to think about the school in new and creative ways; the opportunity to involve the community, harnessing their skills, energy, and enthusiastic support; and most of all, the opportunity to develop a vision for the successful future of Clapham Primary School.”