St Bees School has pledged to “bring the heart back to the village” as plans for its future have been revealed.

A question time event was held at the school on Friday, giving people the chance to quiz senior members of staff.

The school reopened its doors in 2018, three years after its sudden closure devastated staff and pupils.

In a joint venture between the school’s board of trustees and Full Circle Education group, based in China, pupils follow the Fusion Curriculum, which integrates Eastern and Western education.

Speaking at the event, Ceara Hayden, head of marketing and admissions at the school, said: “We understand the school was the heart of the village and when it closed in 2015, that heart left. But we’re here to bring the heart back. We are really excited about the future.”

Two offspring schools have recently opened in China – a primary school in Shijiazhuang in the Hebei Province and a high school in Dongguan in the Guangdong Province – both of which have taken the iconic ‘St Bees’ name.

Headteacher Roger Sinnett said: “We are a family of schools. This is the mothership and everything that happens in China comes from our focus.”

There are currently only 16 pupils on the school roll in St Bees but it is hoped this will increase to between 40 and 50 by the next academic year.

Questioned about the school’s sustainability with the current student numbers, Mark George, chair of the board of trustees, said: “It’s sustainable because of the big picture of Full Circle’s vision for not just Chinese education but taking that education to many places across the globe.

“Full Circle are prepared to fund deficits here for a considerable time. There is a long-term horizon on the funding requirements here because the Full Circle education entity in China has got the opportunity to take the ‘St Bees’ education through China very rapidly.”

Laurence Gribble, assistant headteacher, added: “Full Circle’s strategy is not to make this place profitable. There’s no need because the rest of ‘St Bees’ is where Full Circle will get the profit. If this can break even and if it can support local education and create a good brand and name and get good results, that is all that is required. As long as it’s a good education and is doing well for the local area, that’s it.”

Mr Sinnett also spoke of the challenges of filling school places with local students.

He said: “Cumbria is tough. They want to have three or four years of St Bees functioning before they will recommend the school. We have a school which is appreciated deeply by others but not by its own community.”

Mr George added that there was “a natural suspicion” that the school could close again but stressed that they had to “keep going”.

Mr Sinnett said: “Any parent who puts their child into a classroom here at St Bees, I can guarantee they will receive an extremely positive education, where the children will be in an extremely supportive environment.”