THE death knell was sounded for one of Somerset's smallest schools yesterday.

Blagdon Hill Community Primary School, which has just 18 pupils, will close at the end of the next academic year.

The county council's executive board voted unanimously to start statutory consultation on its closure.

The meeting was told that only ten of the 78 primary age children in the catchment area actually attend the school and the existing pupils could be comfortably accommodated at Churchstanton.

Half of them go to Trull Primary School, while no reception age children have been put down to join in September.

And while it costs an average £2,800 to educate a primary school child in Somerset, that goes up to more than £8,000 at Blagdon Hill, which also needs a £66,000 spent to replace a temporary building in poor condition.

Head teacher Linda O'Neill outlined the high standards achieved in a range of subjects and after school clubs.

Chairman of the governors Jonathan Langdon said the school offered a "fantastic education".

It is also exploring a hard federation' with Churchstanton Primary School - which involves sharing a board of governors and other cost saving links - under the impression that could save Blagdon.

Mr Langdon said: "We have both appointed four governors to put forward the consultation document for hard federation, but Churchstanton wanted to ensure we wouldn't close."

He added that so few local children attended Blagdon Hill because it was an area of high property prices and parents moving in already had children at other schools.