Issue - meetings

Recommendations

1)       Statutory proposals and notices be published on 31 January 2025 proposing to change the age range of The Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, by ceasing sixth form provision, with effect from 31 August 2025.

2)       The Executive (or the Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills if there are no objections during the representation period) schedule taking a final decision on these proposals on 18 March 2025. 

Considered – A report of the Corporate Director Children and Young People’s Service presenting the outcome of the public consultation carried out by the Council on the proposal to change the age range at the Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, by ceasing the Sixth Form Provision effective from 31 August 2025.  The Executive were requested to authorise the publication of proposals and statutory notices, and to schedule taking a final decision on the proposal on 18 March 2025.

The Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills, Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, introduced the report and advised that the governing body had asked the Council to consult on the permanent closure of the Sixth Form, which had been temporarily suspended since September 2023.  Whilst the overall numbers in the school had stabilised and the school was at a good standard student numbers for the Sixth Form were not projected to be large enough to provide high quality post 16 provision in terms of curriculum or experience.  Government advice was that sixth forms should have at least 200 places and offer at least 50 subjects and these proposals followed the closure of other smaller sixth forms.

Resolved – that

1)      Statutory proposals and notices be published on 31 January 2025 proposing to change the age range of The Wensleydale School and Sixth Form, by ceasing sixth form provision, with effect from 31 August 2025.

2)      The Executive (or the Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills if there are no objections during the representation period) schedule taking a final decision on these proposals on 18 March 2025.