North Yorkshire Council has confirmed that the planned opening date for a new school in Harrogate for children with autism has been pushed back until 2025.

The council’s Conservative-run executive approved the creation of the school last year which will be at the former Woodfield Community Primary School in Bilton.

It had pledged the new school would be open in time for the September 2024 term however in an update this morning, a council spokesperson said this will no longer be possible.

They did not give a reason for the delay but said the authority is committed to securing more special educational needs (SEN) provision in Harrogate.

Since 2016, the number of children in North Yorkshire with identified special educational needs and disability and a legally-binding education, health and care plan has increased by more than 110%, leading to a shortage of special school places and numerous children being taught by independent providers.

Independent day sector placements typically cost the public purse up to £70,000 annually and the average cost of a special school placement is about £23,000.

The results of a consultation revealed considerable support for the creation of the school in Harrogate with 86% of 105 responses in favour.

The council has pledged a £3.5 million investment into creating the school.

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

“We are committed to securing more special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision in North Yorkshire. The target opening date has been revised to next year.”

Cllr Paul Haslam (Independent, Bilton and Nidd Gorge) told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he was monitoring developments at the new school.

Woodfield school, which closed in 2022, had large playing fields and Cllr Haslam is urging the council to make it available to the public once the new school is created.

He added:

“I’ve put in a proposal for dual access to sports grounds so it can be used by the local community. That would be a good use of space.”

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Opposition groups are calling on North Yorkshire Council to reconsider a move to increase the basic home to school transport charge for post-16 students to nearly £800 a year, saying access to education is supposed to be free and equal.

Criticism of the proposed six per cent rise to be put to meeting of leading councillors behind closed doors on Tuesday (May 7) comes as the council this week received a petition from several hundred parents over its cost-cutting plan to limit free transport for under-16s to a child’s nearest school.

Both proposals have emerged as the council looks to stem impact of the cost of providing home to school transport, which continues to rise faster than inflation, increasing by more than £3m in the last year.

Meanwhile it is tackling a recurring annual deficit of about £40m in its budget, of which school transport is the third largest item of expenditure at £42m a year.

If the post-16 proposal is agreed, school transport would cost families an average between £2.04 and £7.33 per day – up to £792 a year for each child. The charge would represent a 60 per cent rise since 2018/19.

An officer’s report to the corporate director and executive members’ meeting states an above inflation increase was discounted because the Department of Education is expected to publish fresh guidance on post-16 transport later this year, leading to potential major changes.

However, it underlines a 50 per cent discount on the charges should be offered to low income families.

The report states North Yorkshire’s geography presents challenges for young people who are expected to remain in education, employment or training until aged 18.

It adds:

“The council’s current decision to provide assistance beyond year 11 is a discretionary commitment to improve access to education for young people aged over 16.

“The application of adopting a single contribution fee, irrespective of distance travelled is to ensure that young people in rural communities are not disadvantaged when compared to those living in towns.

“The recommendation to offer a reduction to low-income families increases the opportunity for young people to move into further education and supports aspirations of higher education and employment.”

The authority’s executive member for education, Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, has been approached for comment.

Leaders of the authority’s opposition groups said while access education was supposed to be free and equal to all, parents of post-16 not in walking distance of a school, college or training venue were facing huge bills.

Independent group leader Councillor Stuart Parsons said while the Government was insisting post-16 children remained in education or training parents were facing having to pay a “ludicrous amount of money”.

He said:

“It’s almost like paying bed and breakfast rates in prison. This will impact on many low income families. Children will feel guilty they are costing their parents a fortune. Rishi Sunak’s government is penalising youngsters who live in rural communities.”

Councillor Steve Shaw Wright, who leads the Labour group, said high post-16 transport costs would put some families off.

He said:

“In North Yorkshire unless you live in a town with a sixth-form you are in trouble. If we don’t encourage people to go, then it becomes only the people with money who can go.”

Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Bryn Griffiths said the council had received a Government funding windfall which could have been used to offset home to school transport costs rather than being “parked in the authority’s reserves”.

He added:

“For families who are struggling it is getting silly and is another nail in the coffin for people who are trying to do their best by their children. So much for free education in this country.”

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Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservative-led North Yorkshire Council to place a moratorium on school closures until the first county-wide Local Plan development blueprint is adopted in 2028.

Members of the 14-councillor political group have tabled a notice of motion for the next full meeting of the authority later this month to highlight “the loss of key facilities from our communities” across North Yorkshire.

The motion follows the council repeatedly launching consultations over the closure of village primary schools, saying Department of Education rules leave it with little option but to recommend they close their doors despite communities developing action plans to rescue them.

Last autumn, the authority’s children’s scrutiny committee heard the succession of rural school closures was “only likely to get worse” with a looming oversupply of places, despite attempts to prevent an increasing number of schools going into the red.

Andrew Smith, the Diocese of York’s director of education, issued the bleak situation facing many communities in North Yorkshire as councillors were told some 16 primary schools had closed in the past six years.

Some of the closed schools include Drax, Horton in Ribblesdale, Rathmell, Ingleby Arncliffe, Swainb, Ings, Burnt Yates, Arkengarthdale, Clapham, Whitby, Kell Bank, Weaverthorpe, Baldersby St James, Harrogate, Hovingham and Skelton.

Councillors heard financial pressures on the county’s smaller schools were rising, with the average school deficit soaring from £16,400 in 2015 to £57,900 last year year.

Meanwhile, the number of primary school age pupils was set to fall in every area of the county except the Selby area and Craven.

The proposal underlines how the closure of rural schools in North Yorkshire has many significant negative social impacts on residents, communities and children – an observation which has regularly been raised by some prominent Tory members of the authority.

The motion states:

“The loss of schools and other associated infrastructure leaves villages without the necessary services to support families now and into the future.”

Liberal democrat councillor for Amotherby and Ampleforth division Steve Mason said:

“The recent news about the potential closure of St Hildas in Ampleforth, following the closure of Hovingham school last year highlights the need for NYC to step in to protect these valued services for the future.

“In the past five years alone we have lost 11 primary schools in North Yorkshire and no doubt more will follow. Clearly something is broken.”

Councillor Andrew Murday, who represents Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale, said the council had a responsibility to support the county’s many rural communities.

He said:

“Primary schools are a vital component of those communities and without them the community gradually collapses. We need the council to rethink its policy otherwise there will be progressive depopulation. Only last month we saw the loss of Fountains Earth School at Lofthouse. It should not be allowed to continue.”

The council’s Conservative leadership have been approached to comment.

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A group of Knaresborough sixth form students have launched a business and won an entrepreneurial award.

The students are part of King James School’s sixth form young enterprise team.

They are operating as a business under the Young Enterprise Group, a charity aiming to support and encourage young individuals to enter the business world.

The group are the North Yorkshire winners of The Young Enterprise Company of the Year award.

Their business, Plant Pets, is a creative sustainable approach to planting. They offer boxes of terracotta pots, paint, brushes, seeds, a leaflet and soil.

A spokesperson for the group said:

“Our aim is to encourage creativity and sustainability for people of all ages. The kit allows you to paint and later grow your ‘Plant Pet’ from a variety of seeds, a product that from our research is yet to exist within the market.”

“We try our best to ensure that the majority of our packaging is not only recyclable but made from recycled material. The supplier for our boxes is certified to be carbon neutral, supporting our belief that creative activities which produce calming and mindful effects should not come at the expense of the environment.”

Young enterprise company of the year award 2024

The group plan to sell their products at the next Knaresborough market on Wednesday. They also plan to gift plant pets to St. Michaels hospice.

The Plant Pet founders added:

“We have received overwhelming support from local businesses and King James School themselves who have been nothing but supportive throughout our journey. We hope for further partnership opportunities.”

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Moorside Primary School and Nursery in Ripon has been named as one of the most culturally diverse schools in North Yorkshire and has been recognised for its inclusivity.

The school has pupils from 17 different nationalities and has become the first in the county to be awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark (IQM) Flagship status.

Almost 10 different languages are spoken by children at the school and almost 20% of the school, 33 pupils, do not speak English as their first language.

It has 190 pupils of various religious beliefs and there are children whose families originate from countries such as Nigeria, Syria, Afghanistan, Poland, Pakistan, Romania, China and Latvia.

The Inclusion Quality Mark was established in the UK in October 2004 with the objective of supporting both state and independent schools to become inclusive.

Claire Rowett, headteacher at Moorside Primary and Nursery, said:

 “There have been increasing opportunities through our IQM work to raise pupil voice and provide them with a platform to share projects, as well as share their learning opportunities, knowledge across the curriculum, personal development opportunities and also how they keep safe, mentally and physically healthy.

“We support and celebrate diversity within our school community.”

Ms Rowett added:

“Some of the work has also led us to achieve gold in the North Yorkshire Council’s Healthy School Awards for our efforts to improve the health, wellbeing and resilience in our school community. I am, as ever, extremely proud of everything that we have achieved at Moorside. The success that we have had has been through the tenacious hard work of all staff and governors, working with our children and their families, which we value greatly.

Above all, we are proud of our pupils and their confidence in sharing the work the we do together – they are the best ambassadors for our school”

Children in class with teacher Georgia Padbury-Hunt.

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director for education and skills, Amanda Newbold, said:

“The IQM award recognises the commitment by schools to provide the best education for all children irrespective of differences. This recognition truly reflects the wonderful work of staff, governors and, of course, the pupils at Moorside Primary School and Nursery to successfully remove barriers to learning and maximise educational experiences. Congratulations to all involved.”

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A Harrogate primary school has announced a new headteacher and deputy-head teacher.

Hookstone Chase Primary School has appointed James Hughes as the new headteacher and Hannah Norton as the new deputy headteacher.

Mr Hughes has been acting head since October 2023. He has worked in primary schools for 18 years.

Before starting at Hookstone Chase, he held the position of deputy headteacher at nearby Willow Tree Primary School for 13 years.

Mr Hughes said:

“I am thrilled to become the new Headteacher at Hookstone Chase Primary School and am committed to unlocking the potential of every one of our young learners.

“Alongside Hannah and our talented staff team we will nurture academic excellence and strengthen connections with our local community to cultivate a vibrant and diverse learning environment.”

Ms Norton joins the school from New Park Primary School, also in Harrogate, where she was assistant headteacher and special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO).

Hookstone Chase Primary School

Hookstone Chase Primary School is part of Northern Star Academies Trust, a partnership of 15 primary and secondary schools across North and West Yorkshire, five of which are in Harrogate.

Harrogate High School, New Park Primary Academy School , Starbeck Primary Academy and Willow Tree Community Primary School are also in the trust.

The trust’s CEO, Jenn Plews, said:

“We’re delighted to welcome both James and Hannah to their new roles at Hookstone Chase Primary School and to support them as they lead the school into this new chapter.

“As a growing Yorkshire Trust we put people at the heart of everything we do and know that excellent education starts with excellent teachers. We take great pride in being able to provide career advancement prospects within our Trust partnership and are so pleased that both James and Hannah are taking the next step in their career at Northern Star.”

Hookstone Chase Primary School is also looking for a volunteer governor. If you  would like to find out more about the role contact governance@nsat.org.uk. 

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