It comes as the Department of Education confirmed last week that the school was in recess due to a lack of enrolments. 

Anna Dennis, a resident of 37 years who had three children complete their education at the school, said it was a shame to see it go but she believed the school would not reopen. 

“People have moved on – they’ve bought new uniforms and organised new bus runs, they won’t be bringing them back now,” she said. 

Ms Dennis said despite talks of growth and potential housing developments, a school would struggle to start up again without an after school care service. 

“It’s unbelievably equipped but I can’t see it happening,” she said. 

According to Ms Dennis, about 27 students attended the school in 2016. 

By 2017, there were 12 students enrolled. 

By the end of term one, just one student remained. 

Majority of the former students have now settled in Wagga schools while one student headed to Uranquinty and another to The Rock. 

“It is hard to move to a school in Wagga as a lot of them are zoned – some of them have gone private to have their school of choice,” Ms Dennis said. 

Despite her assessment for the future, Ms Dennis said a smaller school had huge advantages. 

“They had classes with 15 to 18 kids in each when my boys were there which means they keep an eye on bullying and see if kids are struggling,” she said. 

Ms Dennis said she expected families to remain in the village but it was enormously concerning for the community. 

“In a small town, the shops, the pub, the school and the footy club are the core,” she said. 

“We are too close to Wagga to be a stand alone community and the school was the biggest uniting factor.

“It is the fate of these little satellite towns –  the reality is we are 20 minutes out of town on a very good highway.” 

Wagga MP Daryl Maguire said the future of Collingullie Public School was, and always had been, in the hands of the community. 

“I understand there a number of youngsters that will be of school age again soon so we are hopeful parents will enrol them at the school,” he said. 

“If there are no enrolments it makes it terribly difficult.” 

Mr Maguire said questions about what to do with the building if the school did close were “a long way off”. 

“I can reveal the school was offered in the interim to a special education group to try and utilise resources however it just wasn’t suitable for their needs,” he said.

When asked about the likelihood of an additional school in Wagga after the recess announcement, the Department of Education said the building of new educational facilities was based on demand. 

“It is based on demand established through school enrolment data and consultation with agencies and local government,” the spokesperson said. 

“Any assessment of emerging demand would take into account choices made by families by school-aged children in and around Collingullie.” 

The spokesperson would not reveal a location for the previously promised primary school, with construction expected to start in 2019. 

“The site selection process for the new school is currently underway,” the spokesperson said.