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22
Jul
Village primary school near Ripon set to close due to falling pupil numbers
A village primary school looks set to close due to falling pupil numbers and concerns over its financial viability.
North Stainley Church of England Primary School, north of Ripon, is expected to shut its doors for the last time at the end of the summer term 2027.
The school is part of the Leeds Diocesan Learning Trust, which incorporates 13 primary schools across North and West Yorkshire, including Dacre Braithwaite, Fountains, Grewelthorpe, Roecliffe and Holy Trinity in Ripon.
The trust directors “regretfully” proposed the closure to the Secretary of State for Education, who issued a substantive decision last Tuesday (July 14) to close the school, and parents were informed of the proposal the following day.
In a statement, the trust said it was “deeply saddened” to have had to make the decision. It added:
The primary reason for this proposal is the low pupil numbers which means the Trust cannot guarantee the high-quality education and social development opportunities the children deserve.
Furthermore, given the county-wide decline in primary-aged children, there are severe concerns regarding the school’s long-term financial viability, despite the implementation of a unique leadership model.
There will be a ‘listening period’ of four weeks starting on Wednesday, September 2, during which time parents, carers and other stakeholders will have the opportunity to ask and submit questions about the closure and how the process will unfold.
The Secretary of State will then consider the outcome of this period, before making a final decision about whether the funding agreement should be terminated and the school closed.
In 2022, North Stainley CE Primary School was assessed by Ofsted inspectors as requiring improvement, and converted to academy status under new headteacher Katie Barker, who is still at the school, at the beginning of 2024.
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