Issue - meetings

Recommendations

i)                 That having undertaken the required preliminary checks, the Executive resolve that the issues listed above in section 9 have been satisfied and there can be a determination of the proposals.

ii)                1) To cease to maintain St Hilda’s Ampleforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School with effect from 31 August 2024.

2) That the current St Hilda’s Ampleforth CE VC Primary School catchment area would be split between Husthwaite CE VC Primary School, Helmsley Community Primary School and Terrington CE VA Primary School. This would mean the parishes of Gilling East, Grimstone, Cawton and Coulton would become part of the catchment area for Terrington CE. The parishes of Oswaldkirk and Stonegrave would become part of the catchment area for Helmsley Community Primary School. The parishes of Byland with Wass and Ampleforth would become part of the catchment area for Husthwaite CE.

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director – Childrens and Young People’s Service providing information upon which to cease to maintain St Hilda’s Ampleforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School with effect from 31 March 2024, together with the future arrangements for the school’s current catchment area. 

The Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills, Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, introduced the report and advised that there were currently only 13 children in the school in what was a relatively small rural village.  On 7 May 2024 Executive had resolved to publish statutory proposals and notices on 22 May 2024 proposing that the school be closed from 31 August 2024.  Four representations had been received, which were outlined in the report and reproduced in full at Appendix C.  If the school were to be closed the catchment would be split between three schools and parents could express a preference for which school. The village of Ampleforth would continue to be served by another school in the village, St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School.

Resolved (unanimously) – that:

i)                 having undertaken the required preliminary checks, the Executive resolve that the issues listed above in section 9 have been satisfied and there can be a determination of the proposals.

ii)                1) to cease to maintain St Hilda’s Ampleforth Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School with effect from 31 August 2024.

2) that the current St Hilda’s Ampleforth CE VC Primary School catchment area would be split between Husthwaite CE VC Primary School, Helmsley Community Primary School and Terrington CE VA Primary School. This would mean the parishes of Gilling East, Grimstone, Cawton and Coulton would become part of the catchment area for Terrington CE. The parishes of Oswaldkirk and Stonegrave would become part of the catchment area for Helmsley Community Primary School. The parishes of Byland with Wass and Ampleforth would become part of the catchment area for Husthwaite CE.

(At 12.37 pm the meeting was adjourned and reconvened at 12.49 pm)