PARENTS in local towns are being urged to consider enrolling their children at a high achieving rural primary - where young families are being largely priced out of village homes.

Melsonby Methodist Primary School says unless other families with children move into the village, or would like to benefit from becoming part of the small community, it will be necessary to move from a three-class to a two class school.

It is the latest school to suffer from the continued drift of young families from rural areas, as prices become increasingly out of the reach of many working families.

The school says over the past five years the progress for all children at the school has been well above average national rates.

Richmondshire District Council leader, Cllr John Blackie, recently described the “mass exodus” of young families from the Upper Dale as putting communities under threat. He has spent much of the past year calling on local government leaders and other organisations to do all they can to reverse the trend, which is being felt in many rural areas of North Yorkshire. The school population in Reeth and Gunnerside has decreased from 95 to 47 in the past 15 years and at Askrigg and Bainbridge there has been a drop from 117 children on the school roll to just 66.

Cllr Blackie said quality employment, affordable housing, and local services as the major factors in families moving away and said authorities in the district must work together to avoid a crisis.

Melsonby is a relatively-accessible village and has traditionally attracted enough families to sustain a three class school. But more recently, the village’s high house prices has begun to attract fewer young families and more older home-owners without children.

A spokesman for the school said the primary offers children the benefit of a small school population in a safe, happy environment and its rural setting.

He said: “Unless other children move into the village, or would like to benefit from becoming part of this small but vibrant community, it will be necessary to move from a three-class to a two-class school.

“Over the past five years the progress rates for all children have been well above those reported on nationally. The nurturing environment of the school has resulted in all identified pupil groups making better than average progress throughout their time in the school.”

For more information look at the school website www.melsonby.n-yorks.sch.uk or contact the headteacher, Mr Trevor Watson (01325) 718318 admin@melsonby.n-yorks.sch.uk