For centuries, the infant school in Champorcher, in the Aosta Valley, has been an integral part of the community, with the sound of children’s voices in the playground providing a beacon of hope for the mountain village’s survival. In September, however, the school fell eerily silent. It was forced to close after only two pupils enrolled.
“When a school closes, a village dies,” said Stefania Girodo Grant, the headteacher of a cluster of schools including those in
