Consultation withdrawn on closure of Nidderdale village school

Governors at Fountains Earth Primary School in Upper Nidderdale have withdrawn their request for a consultation over its closure.

They had put forward the plans after finding the low number of pupils made the school in Lofthouse unsustainable, with just 11 on the role aged between four and 11.

However, a letter issued to parents at the end of term said:

“The governors have reviewed the current position of Fountains Earth. With new information to consider, we will be withdrawing the current consultation application sent to [North Yorkshire County Council]  whilst we review this new information.”

The move has been welcomed by parents who had opposed any possibility of the school’s closure.

Sharon Leeming, whose two children have both attended the school, is chairman of the village parents’ association.

It saw villagers rally in support of the school, turning out in force when the threat to it was discussed by Upper Nidderdale Parish Council at the beginning of July.

Ms Leeming told the Stray Ferret:

“The community are incredibly pleased and the 110-strong turnout at the parish council meeting showed what a thriving community we live in.

“We hope the governing body see the impact of a school closure would have on the young people in the area. There are increasing numbers of children over the next five years, so hopefully the school will remain strong and the community will continue to thrive.”

‘New information’

While the governors have not given a reason for their decision, North Yorkshire County Council confirmed the news to the Stray Ferret. Stuart Carlton, corporate director of children and young people’s services, said:

“The governors of Fountains Earth Primary School have withdrawn the application for further consideration after new information was made available.”

Ms Leeming said she and other parents had provided information about more families moving to the village in recent months, as well as others planning to do so.

Part of the reason for the village’s increasing popularity, according to Ms Leeming, was the number of people who were able to work from home for the first time following the covid pandemic.

She said:

“Superfast broadband has been installed in Nidderdale. A lot of current parents work from home and said they have never had a better internet connection.

“EE have switched on a mast up the dale and people can’t believe the signal they’ve got. Those kinds of things make a huge difference.”

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Unlike other schools under threat of closure, Ms Leeming pointed out Fountains Earth is rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

It is part of a federation of schools with St Cuthbert’s in Pateley Bridge and Glasshouses Primary School, which has just received a very positive Ofsted report. The three schools share a headteacher, Nicola Thornber.

However, she said any threat over its future could lead people to choose other options rather than risk having to change their child’s school later on.

“If people hear a school is consulting to close, they won’t even consider moving to the village. If they know it has been withdrawn, or revisited, people will have more confidence in the village and in the school.

“There’s something special about Fountains Earth. We need to all work together now to keep it open.”

Woodfield leaders ‘listening to parents’ before deciding school’s future

Parents at a Harrogate primary school facing an uncertain future have spent the day meeting with governors and the headteacher. 

Woodfield Community Primary School opened its doors for parents to ask questions after a planned merger with Grove Road Community Primary School fell through. 

The proposal had been put forward after Woodfield was placed in special measures by Ofsted two years ago. Governors had been unable to find a multi-academy trust to join, as required by Ofsted, and an announcement was made yesterday that the planned merger had also fallen through. 

Cllr Paul Haslam, who has been a governor at the school since early 2019, told the Stray Ferret: 

“It is bitterly disappointing. The school has got the best teaching it has had for many years.  

“The calibre of the teaching and learning of the children can’t be faulted, in my opinion.  

“I believe it’s more to do with Grove Road feeling they don’t have the resources in order to accomplish what the amalgamation set out to do, rather than anything else. We’ve all got the children’s interests at heart. 

“We’re listening to parents rather than telling them what to do. It’s about having an ear. 

“Let’s get through this stage and understand what this stage is; listening to parents and their concerns will help us formulate what we do in the future. 

“We will come to a conclusion based on what parents tell us and what all parties believe is right.” 

Cllr Haslam said the governors had written to all parents about amalgamation being dropped before the news was announced publicly.  

“We view this as a very urgent situation that needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible. We will be doing everything we can in order to expedite and get information for people.  

“We’re challenged with the Easter holidays – the governors were 200% behind the fact we had to offer to sit with the parents today.  

“We didn’t want them to go away worrying about this. Obviously, they will worry, but we are giving them an opportunity to talk about this.” 

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After the merger proposal was initially announced, North Yorkshire County Council and leaders from both schools held two online public meetings in January for parents to ask questions. 

Asked what would happen if the planned amalgamation fell through, Andrew Dixon, strategic planning manager for NYCC, said they “would have to consult on a school closure”. 

However, Cllr Haslam said today that he wanted to reassure parents: 

“Until further notice, the school continues to operate exactly as it is. That’s the legal obligation of NYCC – we have to operate the school as is. 

“The first and most important thing is that the children are the centre and the core of everything that we as governors do. That’s our utmost consideration at all times.” 

Woodfield was rated ‘Inadequate’ by Ofsted in March 2020, but monitoring visits by inspectors have since found that improvements are being made.  

They particularly praised the efforts made by the school’s new leaders and governors to identify the work needed to improve and how they can be evaluated. 

Former governors call for Boroughbridge sixth form to remain open

Three former governors of Boroughbridge High School have called for the potential closure of its sixth form to be stopped.

It comes as parents await the decision of the federated governing body of Boroughbridge High School and King James’s School in Knaresborough, which met last night.

The school held a consultation with staff, students, parents/carers and governors from mid-November to mid-December 2021. It asked for thoughts on the ‘suspension of the sixth form for up to two years’.

If the plan goes ahead then the sixth form will not reopen in September.

The Stray Ferret asked current chair Malcolm Dawson for the outcome of last night’s meeting but he declined to comment, saying parents would be notified first.

It is unclear when the results will be announced publicly.

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The consultation process and the decision itself has come under scrutiny in the last week.

Dr Ron Nixon, a former GP and one of the school’s founding governors, told the Stray Ferret:

“I just do not understand how this has happened. I do not like the smell of it. If it does close for two years then, realistically, what are the chances of it reopening?

“The closure of the sixth form would not only be a disaster for the school but also the wider community, which has grown rapidly over recent years.”

Brian Dooks, who served as a governor of Boroughbridge Primary School and Boroughbridge High School for nearly 20 years, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am disturbed and alarmed to learn that Boroughbridge High School could be about to lose its on-site sixth form.

“I was one of the governors who fought long and hard for the creation of the sixth form, which was attended by my two daughters.

“My former governors will take some serious persuading that it will not rapidly become a permanent solution to the detriment of generations of young people.

“In the last 10 years the Boroughbridge population has exploded. If there was justification for a sixth form in the 1990s, that must be true in 2022.”

Another former chair of governors, who asked not to be named, added:

“I just want the school to succeed. This was meant to be a consultation with parents but I am struggling to find parents who knew anything about it. They are angry.”

What’s your view of the proposed closure? Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Closure of Boroughbridge High School sixth form to be discussed this week

A proposal to close the sixth form at Boroughbridge High School for up to two years will be discussed this week.

The school held a consultation with staff, students, parents/carers and governors from mid-November to mid-December 2021 — it has not yet released the results.

The consultation asked for thoughts on the “suspension of sixth form from September 2022 for up to two years”. It added:

“Due to the demographics of the area, numbers on roll at Boroughbridge High School have decreased.

“That is making it more difficult to maintain viable class sizes at post-16. Both in terms of quality of experience, subject breadth and financial viability.”

Federation with King James’ School

Boroughbridge High School and King James’s School in Knaresborough federated in January 2021.

The federation of governors, which act on behalf of both schools, will discuss the proposal on Thursday.

A federation is a formal agreement between two or more schools to work together to raise standards while remaining separate.

Currently, sixth form students attend both schools depending on their subjects. Under the proposal, King James’s School would provide all courses and pastoral support.

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The Stray Ferret asked for an interview with Boroughbridge High School. Headteacher Kathryn Stephenson (pictured) said in a statement:

“The proposal is to temporarily suspend sixth form provision at Boroughbridge High School from September 2022 for a period of up to two years.

“The responses to the consultation will be considered by the governing body at its next meeting.”

‘Disturbed and alarmed’

Brian Dooks, who served as a governor of Boroughbridge Primary School and Boroughbridge High School for nearly 20 years, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am disturbed and alarmed to learn that Boroughbridge High School could be about to lose its on-site sixth form.

“I was one of the governors who fought long and hard for the creation of the sixth form, which was attended by my two daughters.

“My former governors will take some serious persuading that it will not rapidly become a permanent solution to the detriment of generations of young people.

“In the last 10 years the Boroughbridge population has exploded. If there was justification for a sixth form in the 1990s, that must be true in 2022.”