Major HENDERSONasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the petition signed by every householder in the parish of Watchfield, Berkshire, against the closing of the infant school in that parish, he will ascertain whether, in view of the distance to the school at Shrivenham, something can be done to prevent its being closed?
§ Mr. J. A. PEASEThe average attendance at the school referred to has declined from thirty-seven in 1900 to eleven in 1912. The local education authority gave notice to the Board on 8th February of their intention not to maintain the school after 31st May, and stated that they were prepared, in the event of the school being closed, to convey from Watchfield village 695W to Shrivenham school, where the older children from the parish already attend, the children from West Hill Farm Cottages and the younger children from Watchfield. After consideration of all the circumstances of the case, I am not prepared to object to the proposal of the local education authority if the authority will undertake to convey the children to the Shrivenham school not merely during the winter but throughout the whole year, and I have so informed the authority.