North Yorkshire County Council has published a closure notice for Woodfield Community Primary School that proposes to shut the school for good on December 31.
The document, which is available to read here, said governors have “exhausted all options” to keep the school in Bilton open.
It gives reasons that led to the decision, which it says began when the school was rated inadequate by Ofsted in 2020 and placed into special measures.
The rating meant the school had to become a sponsored academy, but it failed to find a backer.
A proposed merger with Grove Road Community Primary School fell through this year.
The notice says there were 36 pupils enrolled at the school as of July 4, as well as 9 children in its nursery.
Just four applicants put Woodfield as their preferred school for reception entry in September.
The notice also proposes that should the school close, the catchment areas of Bilton Grange Primary School and Grove Road Community Primary School would be expanded to include the current Woodfield school catchment area or parts of it.
A consultation will run until October 6 on the closure. Comments can be made to schoolorganisation@northyorks.gov.uk
Read more:
- ‘No option’ but to close Woodfield school, says council
- Fears more Harrogate schools could follow in footsteps of closure-threatened Woodfield primary
Free school meals children will not face stigma, says North Yorkshire County Council
Parents struggling to make ends meet during the cost of living crisis have been told their children can have free school meals without facing any social stigma.
North Yorkshire County Council’s director of children’s services, Stuart Carlton, said the authority was talking to both parents and schools as part of a drive to improve the 78% take-up from those entitled to free school meals.
It comes amid concerns that increasingly large numbers of those eligible will not take up the support.
A meeting of the authority’s executive heard concerns were mounting over the rate of take-up. It comes as the number of those eligible for the meals is set to significantly increase in the coming months as inflation and soaring energy bills leave family budgets increasingly stretched.
Ripon Ure Bank and Spa division Liberal Democrat councillor Barbara Brodigan questioned what the authority was doing to find out the reasons behind more than one in five of eligible children’s parents not accepting free school meals.
She also pressed the council’s leadership about what was being done to encourage take-up and what support was being offered to those just outside the criteria to qualify.
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The council’s executive member for education, Conservative councillor Annabel Wilkinson, said the 15.4% of pupils already eligible for free school meals was forecast to rise due to the cost of living crisis.
She said:
“We have recognised that there have been some barriers and sticking points in the application process and we have addressed those to make it easier for people to apply and been promoting that extensively.
“As schools go back I’m sure that they will encourage that because obviously they get the pupil premium from people that receive free school meals.”
She said the council was also offering other support, such as its Local Assistance Fund, to those facing financial difficulty and had also simplified the process for applying for free school meals.
Mr Carlton added while the take-up of free school meals had remained at about 20% below the number available for some years, there was a concern “with the numbers going up so significantly with the parents who have not had to access this before”.
He said:
Harrogate independent school offers free places for Ukrainian refugees“There are issues of this feeling like a stigma and something that they are embarrassed about. We have talked to our schools and have worked with our catering service to make free school meals non-stigmatising.
“I would say to any parent if you are entitled to a free school meal please please take it up. If you are worried about any stigma or embarrassment please just talk to your school. It has changed from what it was like 20 years ago. Children can access a free school meal and no one would know any different.”
A Harrogate independent school is offering free places to Ukrainian children displaced by war in their home country.
Brackenfield School, on Duchy Road, has already welcomed one child and another is set to join in September.
Staff are giving them extra support to make sure they feel safe and comfortable in their learning environment and “have a fair opportunity to thrive”.
Joe Masterson, headteacher at Brackenfield, said:
“We are privileged to welcome these extremely brave and resilient children into our school community and are doing all we can to ensure our new pupils are as much a part of school life as every other child.
“Everyone deserves an education in a safe and caring space and we’re proud to be hosting Ukrainian children in our school and making them part of the Brackenfield family.”
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Mr Masterson said it was also a valuable learning opportunity for other students.
He added:
“They can learn and ask first-hand about Ukrainian culture, gain a better understanding of the world around us and see with their own eyes that giving a helping hand makes everyone stronger.”
It’s believed that 2.5 million children have fled Ukraine since the start of the war, many leaving everything behind and being displaced for months before arriving in a safe country.
Deputy head Paul Jenkins with pupils.
Brackenfield is one of seven independent schools owned by Forfar Education to welcome Ukrainian refugees.
John Forsyth, chief executive of the Forfar Group, said its schools had a moral duty to support Ukrainian families as they settle into UK life.
He said:
“Forfar had taken the decision to offer free places to Ukrainian children fleeing conflict at the time the war broke out, so we’re proud to be leading the way for other independent schools considering doing the same.
“It’s important to show solidarity in times of crisis. We believe everyone has the right to a good and safe education, which is why we have opened our doors to those who need it most exactly when they need our help.”
Forfar has offered places in all of its schools, with no limit of the number of spaces available.
‘No option’ but to close Woodfield school, says councilNorth Yorkshire County Council has “no option” but to press ahead with plans to close Woodfield Community Primary School in Harrogate, local authority officials have said.
Senior county councillors on the executive today agreed to publish formal closure notices from September 2022 ahead of a final decision to close the school from December 31.
Stuart Carlson, director of children and young people’s services at the county council, said although it was “regrettable” that it had to close the school, the authority had no alternative.
He said:
“It is regrettable and with heavy hearts that we come to this decision.
“But there is no further options available to us now other than to move to the recommendations.”
Mr Carlson added that a “thorough consultation” was carried out into the closure and that it had exhausted all options available to it.
He denied that the executive of the council would be “ignoring” parents by going ahead with the closure plans.
Mr Carlson said:
“I don’t think we have done [ignored parents]. We have conducted a thorough consultation, we have looked at all the proposals that have been put forward and we have indeed tried our hardest working with the governing body and other schools to find a solution.
“But they are no longer available to us.”
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Liberal Democrat councillor Monika Slater, who represents the Bilton Grange and New Park division, said she believed pupils at Woodfield should have been given greater priority for places as she also urged the council to learn lessons for the future.
She said:
“Part of the issue comes down to the fact neighbouring schools have been allowed to become oversubscribed.“
“And I was disappointed to hear that children were going to be treated the same as any other child in the area who wished to move given their situation is somewhat different when we are potentially looking to close the school.
“I really feel these children should have been given a higher preference on their choices.”
Conservative councillor Paul Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on the county council and is also a governor of the school, called for a “post-mortem” into the downfall of Woodfield school.
A motion from Harrogate Borough Council asking to keep the school open was also considered.
But councillors said they had no other option but to move ahead with the closure plan.
Failure to find academy
The school was rated inadequate by Ofsted in 2020 and placed into special measures.
The rating meant the school had to become a sponsored academy, but it failed to find a backer.
A proposed merger with Grove Road Community Primary School fell through this year, prompting the county council to open a consultation on closing the school in the next academic year.
The school is also faced with a cumulative deficit of £229,000 in 2023/24 due to low pupil numbers.
Union bosses in North Yorkshire previously described the move to close Woodfield as an “absolute disgrace”.
The publication of the statutory notices will include a four-week period for objections to be made to the council by October 6.
Should a final decision to close the school be approved in October 2022, it would include expanding the catchment area of Bilton Grange and Grove Road Primary Schools to cover the Woodfield area.
Harrogate Grammar School unveils new £1.3m building and gardenHarrogate Grammar School has unveiled its new McHugh building and garden, which were built as part of the school’s expansion.
The development consists of three new classrooms, an atrium and garden.
The elevated ‘classrooms on stilts’ have also created space underneath for students to meet.
The stilts are steel pillars, inscribed by children of key workers and vulnerable students who attended school during the pandemic.
The £1.3 million project was built during the pandemic to accommodate the 2,000-pupil school’s growing numbers.
The McHugh building takes its name from Jim McHugh, of the Red Kite Learning Trust, which oversees the school.
His history with Harrogate Grammar School began in 1975 when his wife Pat started teaching there. He became a governor in 2004 and later became chair of governors.
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More recently, Mr McHugh was integral in establishing the Red Kite Learning Trust as its chair.
He said:
“I was speechless when I found out new building was being named after me. It’s a wonderful 70th birthday present.
“Above all, it’s so rewarding to see the amazing improvement here at Harrogate Grammar School. Not only with an outstanding Ofsted report, but also in creating such a lovely space for students to meet, to learn together and communicate.”
An aerial shot of the new student garden at Harrogate Grammar School.
Neil Renton, headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School, added:
“Jim and Pat McHugh stand for commitment to children, for collaboration and positivity, so this is a fitting tribute to them both.
“This whole project also shows what happens when we come together with a vision to provide the very best for children. To achieve this, especially in the middle of covid, is something we are immensely proud of.”
Unveiling the plaque
The interior of The McHugh Building.
St Aidan’s Church of England High School has appointed an interim headteacher who will start in September.
David Thornton, an experienced head who has led five schools, will join the school on a temporary basis until a permanent appointment is made. He will be the school’s third headteacher in the last 12 months.
Mr Thornton will replace Chris Ives, who has been acting head since Chris Burt left in December 2021 due to health reasons.
Mr Ives has been offered a post as head of an international school in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Mr Thornton will spend some time at St Aidan’s before the summer holidays start. A school spokesperson said he does not want to be considered for the role permanently and it will be recruiting for another headteacher.
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Yesterday, St Aidan’s announced it had received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted after being rated ‘inadequate’ in January.
The previous report was critical of the school’s leadership and management but the latest report said leaders “have acted swiftly to address the concerns raised at the previous inspection”.
St Aidan’s has shared with the Stray Ferret a letter its governors sent to parents about the change in leadership. It says:
Ofsted praises North Rigton primary school“Mr Thornton is a very experienced head and teacher of history who has led five schools in his career. From establishing a new school in County Durham to supporting the development of new school leaders while in interim roles, his expertise and experience shone throughout the process. We have every confidence that he will be an excellent addition to our school community.
“Alongside his impressive track record, most recently at a school in the south east, Mr Thornton also demonstrated the values that are so important to St Aidan’s. One line from his application really stood out to us, and he evidenced throughout our discussions that he wants to be, ‘Of service to young people and their community and deliver an outstanding inspirational educational experience for all.’
“We remain enormously grateful to Mr Ives for all that he continues to do as acting headteacher. During this extraordinary year he has led the school in a calm and purposeful manner which has undoubtedly been of significant benefit to staff and students alike. While we know Mr Ives will be hugely missed by us all, we are also excited to be welcoming Mr Thornton to St Aidan’s.”
Schools inspector Ofsted has praised North Rigton Church of England Primary School following a recent visit, giving it a ‘good’ rating.
The school has been a part of life in North Rigton, as well as nearby villages such as Huby and Weeton, since 1851 and was rated ‘good’ in 2015.
It became an academy in 2016 and is part of a fellowship with All Saints CE Primary School in Kirkby Overblow. The school is part of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust.
Inspectors said pupils “are polite, well-mannered and respectful” and were supported by teachers “who are clear about what they want pupils to know”.
‘Proud of the school’
Inspectors said the 100 pupils at North Rigton are “very proud” of attending the school, enjoy playing with friends and have “great confidence and trust” in staff.
One pupil told an inspector that staff are “exceptionally understanding, support them and always want the best for pupils.”
The report added:
“Pupils are kind and respect each other. They understand that people should be treated equally. When learning is challenging, they persevere and enjoy helping each other to succeed. Pupils strive to achieve rewards such as yellow and white ribbons for good work and contributing to school life.”
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Skillful teaching
The report said reading is “at the heart” of the curriculum at the school with staff also teaching phonics well. It said overall, books are well matched to pupils’ ability.
It adds that teachers are clear about what they want pupils to know and they check and assess their levels “skillfully”.
It said there is a “strong culture” of safeguarding with vigilant staff who know how to keep children safe.
On things to improve, it said the school has gone through “flux” in leadership and staffing this year which has left some leaders having their workload increased. It said leaders should take steps to ease the burden on staff.
‘Very pleased with the outcome’
Headteacher Amber Andrews said:
Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi visits Harrogate school“Everybody at North Rigton CE Primary School is very pleased with the outcome of our recent Ofsted inspection and the judgement that our small village school continues to be ‘good’. We would like to thank all our pupils for demonstrating to the inspectors what a warm and welcoming place our school is and our parents and carers for their continuing support.
“We also thank all our staff for their hard work, our Governors for their dedication and Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust for their commitment to keeping small village schools at the very heart of their community.”
Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi visited New Park Primary Academy on a trip to Harrogate yesterday.
Mr Zahawi, who was a speaker at the Local Government Association conference at Harrogate Convention Centre, made a surprise visit to meet staff and children.
New Park Primary Academy is part of the Northern Star Academies Trust, a group of nine schools across Harrogate, Skipton and Keighley.
Academy headteacher Robert Mold said:
“At first I thought it was a hoax when the secretary of state’s office called to say he would like to visit New Park. It’s not a call you get every day.
“The secretary of state spent time with many of our children and even joined in a class making mosaics as part of an art project.”
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During his visit, Mr Zahawi joined year five and six pupils for an art lesson in mosaic making.
Jenn Plews, chief executive of Northern Star Academies Trust said:
“It was great for children to meet a cabinet minister in their own school and to be able to ask him questions.
“Our pupils care deeply about protecting the environment, which is a strong part of our curriculum.
“They told the secretary of state what they are doing in school to be more sustainable and he encouraged them to keep up their work to protect our environment. It was a great experience for our children.”
Call for Zahawi to intervene in Woodfield
Mr Zahawi’s visit came at a time when a consultation is being held over the future of Woodfield Community Primary School in Bilton is being held.
The school, which is just a mile away from New Park Primary Academy, is at risk of closure after an academy sponsor for the school was unable to be found.
North Yorkshire Unison called on Mr Zahawi to “intervene to save Woodfield school” while he was in Harrogate.
Opposition councillors call for Woodfield school to be savedOn the day the Education Secretary @nadhimzahawi was about a mile away from Woodfield School we call upon him to intervene to #SaveWoodfieldSchool #SaveOurSchool https://t.co/wJxdEn6onw
— North Yorkshire UNISON (@NYUnison) June 30, 2022
Opposition councillors on Harrogate Borough Council are set to call for Woodfield Community Primary School to be saved from closure.
A four-week consultation on a proposal to close the school on December 31 ends on July 4.
Some parents and unions have called for the school to remain open. But North Yorkshire County Council, which is the local education authority, has said it has exhausted all options to keep the school open.
At a borough council meeting next week, Liberal Democrat councillors Pat Marsh and Philip Broadbank are due to submit a motion requesting that the authority supports keeping the school open.
Cllr Broadbank said there was concern over the future of the school and what could potentially happen to the site on Woodfield Road in Bilton.
He said:
“I just worry what will happen to the site.
“It is a big building. I think they have to look at going through the options.”
School closure is ‘immoral’
The school was rated inadequate by Ofsted in 2020 and placed into special measures.
The rating meant the school had to become a sponsored academy, but it failed to find a backer.
A proposed merger with Grove Road Community Primary School fell through this year, prompting the county council to open a consultation on closing the school in the next academic year.
Read more:
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- Bilton has ‘sufficient primary places’ if Woodfield school closes
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Gary McVeigh-Kaye, secretary of the North Yorkshire branch of the National Education Union, is also campaigning to save the school and has called for the consultation to be extended.
He said:
“Woodfield school has been through some traumatic times over the past decade and the school needs support, not criticism from Ofsted.
“Woodfield is a genuine community school, at the heart of the community and serving generations of families whose children have attended the school. To force the closure of this valuable community asset is immoral.”
A public meeting over the future of the school was held earlier this month.
Mr McVeigh-Kaye said he had secured meetings with local politicians, including Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones about extending the consultation.
A poorly attended public meeting this month saw people express anger at how a school with good facilities, in a densely populated area of Harrogate, could end up in this position.
But, Adam Dixon, the county council’s strategic planning manager for children and young people, pointed to how Woodfield pupil numbers had fallen from 154 in 2018 to 37 this year.
Woodfield, he added, faced a cumulative deficit of £229,000 in 2023/34, due to low pupil numbers.
The consultation over the future of the school closes on July 4. You can have your say here.
Fraction of free school meals children accessing school holidays schemeLess than a quarter of children eligible for free school meals have accessed a high-profile holidays activities and food programme in North Yorkshire.
Council officials have put the issue down to a lack of public transport in rural areas, an insufficient number of groups and a perceived social stigma among parents.
A meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s young person’s scrutiny committee heard while the Department for Education had given the authority £1.36m to support healthy eating and activities during school holidays this year, 85% of the funding must be spent on youngsters in receipt of benefits-related meals.
Such is the weight given to ensuring children from poorer backgrounds are the focus of the scheme, which was launched following a campaign by Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford, that the amount of funding is based on the number of eligible children in the local authority area.
Councillors were told although 2,554 children eligible for free school meals had attended the county’s Food, Entertainment, Art and Sport Together (Feast) programme last summer, they represented just 22% of the county’s children in receipt of free school meals.
The children receiving free school meals had been vastly outnumbered by 3,778 children attending whose parents did not receive benefits.
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The meeting heard the “significant challenge” over reaching children from poorer families had been exacerbated by the number of children eligible for free school meals across the county over the last year rising by 25%, or by some 3,000.
The meeting heard the scheme was seen as vital for vulnerable children, it had been designed to ensure every child from less affluent homes took part in confidence-building activities and learnt about healthy eating.
David Sharp, chief executive of North Yorkshire Youth, said one of the main challenges in attracting primary-aged pupils to Feast schemes was the social stigma parents associated with their children being on the programme.
He said:
“It comes from parents not wanting their children to know that they on a programme, I’ve had that conversation with several, and also from peers – why have I got a letter and my friend hasn’t got a letter.”
Mr Sharp said Feast organisers were trying to create a strong brand that meant parents know about the provision without its promotion being targeted at them.
A lack of public transport in rural areas meant many North Yorkshire children had effectively been excluded from the scheme, the meeting was told.
Feast organisers said they were working on getting funding to transport children to groups and launch more localised activities.
Councillors were told the authority, charities and providers running the scheme had been given little time by the government to develop it last year and this year would see a significant increase in number of projects, places and activities on offer.