To continue reading this article, subscribe to the Stray Ferret for as little as £1 a week
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
31
Oct 2023
A Harrogate district school facing closure has found it impossible to recruit a single permanent teacher for five years, according to North Yorkshire Council.
The council has recommended consulting on whether to close Fountains Earth Church of England Primary School in Lofthouse, near Pateley Bridge, on March 31 next year.
Elected councillors will vote whether to accept the recommendation next week.
The council claims the decision is largely due to falling pupil numbers, and with no children remaining on the roll the decision appears a formality.
But villagers claim they have been let down by the council and the Upper Nidderdale Federation, which the school is part of, and say closure will rip the heart out of Lofthouse.
The federation also includes St Cuthbert’s in Pateley Bridge and Glasshouses Primary School. The three schools share one headteacher.
A report by council officers ahead of next week's vote said "it has not been possible to recruit a permanent teacher" for the last five years.
It attributes this to the school's remote location as well as difficulty finding someone capable of teaching a wide range of ages and abilities from reception pupils to year six.
The report adds:
0