The future of Harrogate’s Woodfield Primary School needs to be treated as a matter of “extreme urgency”, a councillor has said.
Councillor Paul Haslam’s comments come after the nearby Grove Road Primary School announced it had pulled out of a proposed merger with the inadequate-rated Woodfield.
After months of planning, the surprise announcement came last week and a decision to scrap the move was approved by North Yorkshire County Council’s executive today.
Councillor Haslam, who represents the Bilton area and is a school governor at Woodfield, told a meeting that parents and pupils had become very concerned about the school’s future and that the county council now needed to make “some very quick decisions” to offer reassurances.
He said:
“Woodfield is regarded as an area of deprivation, and both the local MP Andrew Jones and I believe that education is a proven way out of poverty and agree that a school needs to remain in the Woodfield area.
“It’s absolutely vital that a school is maintained there in my opinion.
“It’s also a matter of extreme urgency to reassure the existing pupils and their parents.”
Councillor Patrick Mulligan, executive member for education at the county council, also said a final decision on the future of Woodfield would now have to be made by the incoming North Yorkshire Council.
The existing county council previously said it will work with the Department for Education and governors at Woodfield to “re-consider the position for the school over the coming weeks before we are able to comment further.”
The school was rated as inadequate by Ofsted in 2020 when inspectors said pupils were being “let down” by poor leadership and that “too many pupils do not achieve what they are capable of”.
The school then failed to find an academy sponsor, before governors at Grove Road agreed to the proposed merger.
Although some parents objected to the move, the two schools were set to become one in September after a statutory notice was published by the county council.
Read more:
- Woodfield leaders ‘listening to parents’ before deciding school’s future
- Woodfield school parents ‘frustrated and upset’ after merger U-turn
However, Grove Road last week announced it was pulling out of the merger which it said “carries risk” for the future of the good-rated school. The school’s governing body said:
“During the consultation period we have monitored factors such as the level of support for the proposal and the likely demand for school places.
“Ultimately, the governing board have concluded that we must prioritise the future of Grove Road School and so, sadly, we can no longer support the proposed amalgamation.”
Meanwhile, Woodfield’s governing body said it was “saddened” by the decision. It said:
Harrogate primary school sets £10,000 target for new library“It has been a difficult time for Woodfield School, and we were very hopeful that a satisfactory conclusion could be found for the future of the school.
“The school, staff, parents, and governors need a time of reflection before we make any decisions regarding the school’s future.
“We will continue to consult with North Yorkshire County Council regarding any future decisions.”
Coppice Valley Primary School is hoping to raise £10,000 to improve its library and provide a space for students to be inspired by books.
The current space inside the Harrogate school is more than 20 years old and the second-hand shelving is beginning to collapse.
The plan is to use the funds to completely redesign the space with new storage, books and floor mats.
Ms Emma Meadus, headteacher, said the school set up a covid-safe book swap outside during the pandemic and because of that many books weren’t returned or were returned in poor condition.
The school wants to improve its current library.
The school has had a quote from a design company of £8,800. Any remaining donations will be used to buy new books.
Ms Meadus said:
“It’s been a make-shift, make-do area and the books are in need of an upgrade. We knew it needed to be better for our kids, we have a lot of catch-up learning to do after the pandemic and we want a beautiful space for the kids to be inspired.”
Read more:
- Bilton playgroup rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted
- Cundall Manor appoints Christopher James-Roll as headmaster
The school is celebrating its 50th anniversary in September and hopes the library will be a legacy project.
Although the target is £10,000, the school wants to raise £20,000 over the next two years it so it can build another library for younger children in a separate area of the school.
To support the school’s appeal, click here.
Five reasons to choose the Prep School at Ashville for your child
This article is sponsored by Ashville College.
It’s that time of year. Primary school offer day, which falls on 16 April 2021, brings excitement and anxiety for children and parents in equal measure, particularly for ‘school run’ first timers! From ordering uniform to factoring school drop-off/pick-up and holidays into your usual routine, there is a lot to think about.
Your choice of school and reasons behind it, from its location to extracurricular opportunities, are unique to you and your child. Offer day can be a good time to revisit priorities, particularly if your circumstances have changed since you applied. You still have options, from appealing a disappointing result to considering an independent education over state.
Located in Harrogate, Ashville College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school for pupils aged three to 18. The Prep School covers Acorns Nursery Class through to Year 6, and is an integral part of the College, which also has a Senior School (Years 7 to 11), Sixth Form (Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth).
Here are our top five reasons why the Prep School at Ashville might be a good choice for your child.
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Smaller class sizes
Keeping class and year group sizes low ensures that your child is known and nurtured as an individual. Ashville pupils enjoy plenty of one-to-one time and develop strong relationships with their teachers. Current parents have told us that the smaller class sizes influenced their decision and that their children have had more opportunities to take part in a wider variety of activities and represent the school as a result of the smaller year groups.
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Fun, age-appropriate learning
In the Prep School, we don’t simply dispel the myth that private schools can be stuffy or strict; we crush it! We follow the Cornerstones curriculum, which covers Science, Art, History, Geography and the foundation subjects. Cornerstones allows us to be really creative and flexible in how we teach a Topic, by delivering it across lots of different taught subjects, to ensure pupil engagement from the start. Teachers deliver a ‘Wow’ experience at the beginning of each new Topic, such as a trip, a presentation from a guest speaker, or the Class Teacher doing something a bit different to inspire the pupils. For example, teachers dressed as Harry Potter character to introduce the Year 4 ‘Potions’ topic, and Year 2 went on a pirate adventure for the start of their ‘Land Ahoy’ topic!
Year 2 pupils enjoying the ‘wow experience’ activity to introduce their new topic ‘Land Ahoy’
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A place for your child’s talents to shine
Even at Reception level, parents will look at how the school will support their child’s skills and interests, whether they’ve shown an early flair for the Performing Arts, an aptitude for Maths, or they’re destined to be sporty. In the Prep School and beyond, we team a vibrant and varied academic curriculum with an exciting Enrichment programme of co-curricular activities, so that each individual is able to thrive and pursue their existing interests and passions, as well as being encouraged to try new things.
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Specialist teaching
Ashville Prep School pupils receive exceptional, age-appropriate teaching from our Prep School Class Teachers and often benefit from the experience and expertise from Senior School teachers too, for example, to help introduce or expand on a particular topic. For example, Year 2 pupils enjoyed a rocket-making workshop last Autumn term run by Ashville Senior School’s Head of Physics, Conor Davies, who is also a Lead Educator with The National Space Academy.
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Big enough to challenge, small enough to care
Because our Prep School is part of an all-through school, pupils who progress onto Senior School and beyond will already know some of the teachers and surroundings, making the transition from Year 6 to 7 that bit smoother. Parents tell us that, compared to larger state or independent schools, the overall size of Ashville also enables their children to get involved in activities where they might not otherwise have had the opportunity, whether that be in an after-school club, a drama production or sports team.
Mr Simon Asker, Head of Ashville Prep School, said:
“My commitment to our pupils is to give them the very best start in life; to develop within them a love for learning and a curiosity about the world and their place within it. We like to see the children running and skipping into school knowing that they will be experiencing a curriculum that challenges them academically and also excites, delights and amazes them.
“If you are interested in the Prep School for your child, there are limited places remaining across each year group for the new academic year in September 2021-22, so do get in touch. We are a selective school, but don’t be daunted by that; our process for Prep School pupils is age-appropriate, where they come for an informal assessment so we can get to know them better and they can have a look around the School.”