This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities...
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
    • Politics
    • Transport
    • Lifestyle
    • Community
    • Business
    • Crime
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Education
    • Sport
    • Harrogate
    • Ripon
    • Knaresborough
    • Boroughbridge
    • Pateley Bridge
    • Masham
  • What's On
  • Offers
  • Latest Jobs
  • Podcasts

Interested in advertising with us?

Advertise with us

  • News & Features
  • Your Area
  • What's On
  • Offers
  • Latest Jobs
  • Podcasts
  • Politics
  • Transport
  • Lifestyle
  • Community
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Education
  • Sport
Advertise with us
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Latest News

We want to hear from you

Tell us your opinions and views on what we cover

Contact us
Connect with us
  • About us
  • Advertise your job
  • Correction and complaints
Download on App StoreDownload on Google Play Store
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Statement
  • Comments Participation T&Cs
Trust In Journalism

Copyright © 2020 The Stray Ferret Ltd, All Rights Reserved

Site by Show + Tell

Subscribe to trusted local news

In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

  • Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.

Already a subscriber? Log in here.

07

Nov 2023

Last Updated: 07/11/2023
Education
Education

Petition calls for investigation into leadership of Harrogate district school

by John Plummer

| 07 Nov, 2023
Comment

0

unknown-1-42

A petition calling for an investigation into the leadership of a Harrogate district school has been launched.

North Yorkshire Council has begun moves to close Fountains Earth Primary School in Lofthouse, near Pateley Bridge.

The school has no pupils left and although the council attributes this and a struggle to recruit teachers as key factors in opening a consultation on closure, parents say long-running leadership issues contributed to its decline.

They say pupil numbers were increasing until parents were alienated and poor leadership prompted them to send children elsewhere.

Their petition has already achieved 500 signatures.

Fountains Earth is part of the Upper Nidderdale Federation, which also includes Glasshouses Community Primary School and St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School in Pateley Bridge.

Parents previously said they were “devastated to have been left with no choice but to remove our children” and warned closure would "rip the heart" out of Lofthouse.

Now a petition, launched by Ashley Gatehouse, calls for "a full, objective and thorough investigation into the leadership of the Upper Nidderdale Federation".

It says small rural schools foster community spirit and can deliver high quality education, when managed and governed appropriately.

The petition says:

"This investigation should carefully assess the leadership and management of the Upper Nidderdale Federation, including their academic performance, financial stability, community engagement and communication with parents.
"It is imperative that all relevant stakeholders, including parents and former parents, direct and non-direct contracted staff as well as local residents, have the opportunity to contribute their insights and concerns during this investigation process.
"We request that this matter is taken seriously and that the best interests of our community's children are prioritised.


The petition concludes by urging the council to halt closure "until a full and thorough investigation has been conducted".

A 'heavy and sad decision'


The Stray Ferret asked the Upper Nidderdale Federation if it wished to respond to the parents' claims.

A statement by co-governors Helen Nelson and Hugh Smith said:

"The autumn term started at Fountains Earth with no pupils on roll.
"Unfortunately, this is not an unprecedented situation in North Yorkshire and the governing body has looked at every possible option for the school to keep going.
"Without children, there will be no future per pupil funding for the school from April 2024.
"Taking everything into account, and having discussed the situation with officers at North Yorkshire Council and the Diocese of Leeds the governors took the heavy and sad decision to ask North Yorkshire Council to begin consultation on a proposal to close Fountains Earth school. This is a formal process led by North Yorkshire Council."





Read more:



  • Angry parents say closure of Lofthouse school will 'rip heart out of community'

  • Lofthouse Moor owner fined for illegally burning peat





Amanda Newbold, the council's assistant director for education and skills, said:

“We very much recognise the problems of falling pupil numbers at small rural schools, which is an issue affecting a number of communities in North Yorkshire.
“Sadly, there are currently no children enrolled at Fountain’s Earth CE Primary School in Lofthouse in Nidderdale.
“After a challenging time for all, the school governors have made the difficult decision to begin the formal process of applying to the council for a consultation on proposed plans to close the school.
“The request will be formally considered in November. If a consultation is given the go-ahead, it would be undertaken later this year and include a public meeting.”