The future of a primary school is set to be considered at a meeting next week with the permanent closure of a secondary school sixth form also due to be decided.
Education bosses say Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School near Catterick Garrison has suffered from dwindling class numbers in recent years which has impacting the school’s finances.
The most recent full Ofsted inspection was in November 2022 when the school was graded as good. At the time, there were 30 pupils attending the school.
However, since then, there has been a downtrend in the number of pupils on roll and currently there are 12 children attending the school.
The school’s governing board has approached North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, to request a consultation on a proposal to decide the next steps in the future of the school.
The request will be considered on Tuesday next week when Cllr Wilkinson will decide if a public consultation should be carried out gathering feedback from the community, parents, carers and other stakeholders.
Meanwhile, during the same meeting Cllr Wilkinson will decide the future of sixth-form provision at a North Yorkshire secondary school.
In 2022, there were only eight post-16 students at The Wensleydale School in Leyburn.
As a result, it was decided to temporarily suspend entries to the sixth-form.
Cllr Annabel Wilkinson said: “We value our rural schools and understand their importance in close-knit communities of North Yorkshire.
“I will be carefully considering all aspects of both proposals when deciding if the public consultations should proceed.”
If the go-ahead is given for a consultation to close the primary school, it will begin in November, lasting five weeks and will include a public meeting.
The council’s executive would be scheduled to consider the consultation feedback in January 2025.
If a consultation to permanently cease sixth-form provision at the school is given the go-ahead, a consultation will be launched on November 11 with a public meeting to be held early in December.
Officials say the feedback of the consultation will be considered in January with a final decision on the proposal in March next year.
They add that the Wensleydale School will remain open for 11 to 16-year-olds and the decision will not result in any changes to staffing at the school.
The next nearest sixth-form is at Richmond School.
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