Twelve pupils and 16 staff

A school started the new term today with just twelve pupils - and 16 members of staff. Parents won a battle to save Beauty Bank Primary in Stourbridge, but most opted to transfer their children to other schools amid new uncertainty about its future.

Just days after the victory, Dudley Council announced it was launching a new bid to close the school which has room for 210 children.

The news left many parents deflated and prompted them to move their children to new schools over the summer break.

It left just twelve school pupils and three nursery children outnumbered by staff, including a headteacher, deputy, two teachers, classroom assistants, kitchen staff and others..

However, council bosses said despite the tiny numbers the school was still legally bound to open until at least December 31, 2006.

And it is still open to parents who want to enrol their children at the school.

Director of education Mr John Freeman said: "With nine children enrolled the school will need to think carefully about how it can provide the appropriate quality of education during the autumn term.

"The head and staff will be working with the children in mixed age groups but probably within their key stage groups.

"It is almost certain the school will close as with so few pupils it is just not viable to keep it open."

Around 30 children had been expected to return at the end of the summer term.

Parents of the pupils who turned up to the deserted Beauty Bank Primary in Stourbridge today defended their decision to keep their children at the school.

The few parents who did take their youngsters to the school said the only places they had been offered were too far away.

And some said they would demand private home tutoring for their children if it closed down.

Anne Baynham said: "I think they were expecting no one to turn up today so they could just close it down without a fuss."

Pat Evans, whose grandchildren go to the school, said: "I think the other parents have moved a bit too soon. We could have still won this battle if everyone had stuck together."

Selina Dempsey made the trip from Birmingham to bring her sons Liam, aged nine, and Danny, aged four, to the school. She said: "This is the only school I want them to go to"

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