The school bell is to ring for the last time at Penally VC School at the end of the year. It was confirmed this week that the Welsh Assembly Minister for education, lifelong learning and skills, Jane Davidson, had approved the proposal to discontinue the school. Currently with five children on the register, the school will shut on December 31, 2006. "It is terribly sad that the school is going to close," said governor Peter Coates. "It is a fabulous school which has been so much part of the community for so many years and everybody in the village is sad to see it go," he continued. "We had a party at the end of the summer term which was a fantastic reflection of the community spirit the school helped to generate. "We do understand the reasons for the closure, but the whole process has upset a lot of people and instead of the school closing in a neat and dignified manner, it seems now as if it will just fizzle out."