Issue - meetings

Recommendations:

Executive Members are asked to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency delegated powers he approve that;

i)       Statutory proposals and notices be published on 1 April proposing to cease to maintain Weaverthorpe CE VC Primary School with effect from 31 August 2022.

ii)    The proposals include that from 1 September 2022 the catchment area of Luttons Community Primary School is expanded to include the current Weaverthorpe School catchment area. There is an area of Weaverthorpe’s catchment area that is currently shared with Hertford Vale CE Primary School and it is proposed that area (Butterwick) remains part of Hertford Vale’s catchment area.

iii)   A final decision on these proposals be scheduled for the Executive on 31 May 2022.

Considered – A report by the Corporate Director – Children and Young People’s Service presenting the outcomes of a public consultation carried out by the County Council on the proposal to close Weaverthorpe CE VC Primary School, and seeking authorisation to publish the proposals and statutory notices, and to schedule a final decision on the proposal on 31 May 2022.

County Councillor Janet Sanderson presented the report in the absence of County Councillor Patrick Mulligan.  She provided an overview of the steps taken by the school having failed its Ofsted inspection.  She confirmed that no multi academy trust was willing to take on the governance and management of the school as it was not considered viable as a standalone school, and there were no potential partner schools, due to the questionable long-term viability of the school, as a result of dwindling numbers.

County Councillor Janet Sanderson drew attention to the outcomes of the consultation that had been undertaken on the school closure proposal, and addressed two of the key points raised:

·          Pre-determination – She gave assurance that the Local Authority had entered into the consultation with an open mind and would do so throughout the process.

·          All respondents considered the closure of the school to be a negative thing – She suggested that pupils would benefit from being in a larger school as a super small school such as Weaverthorpe was not able to deliver the breadth of modern day curriculum, provide enrichment from other activities, or provide extra resources for pupils with SEND.

Executive Members accepted there was no other way forward for Weaverthorpe School and having noted the report and the information provided at the meeting, all Executive Members

Resolved: To recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his emergency delegated powers he approve that;

i)       Statutory proposals and notices be published on 1 April proposing to cease to maintain Weaverthorpe CE VC Primary School with effect from 31 August 2022.

ii)    The proposals include that from 1 September 2022 the catchment area of Luttons Community Primary School is expanded to include the current Weaverthorpe School catchment area. There is an area of Weaverthorpe’s catchment area that is currently shared with Hertford Vale CE Primary School and it is proposed that area (Butterwick) remains part of Hertford Vale’s catchment area.

iii)   A final decision on these proposals be scheduled for the Executive on 31 May 2022.