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.”

Read more:

• Opposition councillors call for Woodfield school to be saved
• ‘Go for it!’ says Harrogate district apprentice on Women in Engineering Day

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.

On 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