NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

18 MAY 2022

This statement covers the period from the meeting of the County Council on 16 February 2022 to the County Council elections on 5 May 2022

STATEMENT OF EDUCATION & SKILLS PORTFOLIO HOLDER

School funding

2022-23 is the final year of a three-year funding settlement for schools. North Yorkshire will receive an additional £20.2m in comparison to 2021-22 with additional funding allocated due to the new school funding settlement including sparsity funding which benefits small, rural primary schools in particular. The settlement also includes additional funding for high needs and an increase in early years funding for three and four year olds and vulnerable two year olds. Concerns remain over funding for small, rural secondary schools and we continue to lobby for fairer funding for North Yorkshire schools and pupils.

Following confirmation that DfE funding for the Holiday Activities and Food programme will continue into 2022-23, we will further develop our FEAST programme of holiday activities over the school summer holiday period, providing enriching activities (including some face-to-face), nutritional advice, digital resources and food.

Baldersby St James CE Primary School

The School is an academy and has been subject to a closure process managed by Hope Sentamu Learning Trust and the DfE. In January 2022 the Minister confirmed the School will close in August 2022.

The Council, in conjunction with Elevate Multi Academy Trust, recently undertook a consultation regarding the future treatment of the Baldersby catchment area from September 2022. The process is now underway to formally enlarge the catchment area of Dishforth CE VC Primary School. Elevate MAT will deal with the process for their two schools, which are Carlton Miniott Primary Academy and Topcliffe CE Academy.

Woodfield and Grove Road Community Primary Schools, Harrogate

A proposal that the two schools should amalgamate with effect from September 2022 had been developed by members of the school governing bodies and LA officers. During the statutory four week representation period the Governing Board of Grove Road CP School withdrew their support for the proposal.

In light of this development the Executive formally rejected the amalgamation proposal at their meeting on 19 April 2022. LA Officers are currently engaged with the Governing Board of Woodfield Community Primary School to discuss the School’s future.  

Weaverthorpe CE (VC) Primary School

The School is subject to a Directive Academy Order following an ‘Inadequate’ Ofsted judgement but no academy sponsor has been identified due to viability concerns. LA officers, together with the Church of England Diocese, explored opportunities for collaboration with other schools but sadly no acceptable proposal was identified.

A statutory proposal for the closure of the School was published with a closing date of 29 April 2022. The Executive are scheduled to determine the proposal at their meeting on 31 May 2022. Should the proposal be approved the School would close on 31 August 2022. 

COUNTY COUNCILLOR PATRICK MULLIGAN