Closure of Woodfield Community Primary School confirmed

The 56-year history of Harrogate’s Woodfield Community Primary School is set to come to an end after councillors confirmed its closure today.

The school will shut on December 31 despite complaints that pupils and parents have been “badly let down” by education bosses at North Yorkshire County Council.

But the council claims it has “exhausted all options” to try to keep the school open after years of falling pupil numbers and an inadequate rating by Ofsted.

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s executive today (25 October), ward councillor and school governor Paul Haslam repeated his objections to the closure which he blamed on an “unfounded allegation” about the school that was posted on social media several years ago.

“Today is a sad day,” councillor Haslam said, “we have allowed social media and its consequent impact to close a perfectly good school.

“This cannot be allowed to happen to another school and it is only a failure if we do not learn from this sad event.”

Councillor Haslam, who represents the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division, added that the closure will “rip a large hole in this community” as he also called for a review into how it happened.

Stuart Carlton, the council’s corporate director of children and young people’s services, responded to say he “could not compel” other education bodies to discuss the issues around social media, but that he would meet with councillor Haslam.

“These are always very difficult decisions, but we have followed all the processes,” Mr Carlton said.

“The problem nationally of social media is one that isn’t unique to ourselves or particular schools here – it is something that plagues out across the country at times.

“I’m more than happy that I commit with my assistant director of education to meet with councillor Haslam and the chair of governors to talk through that point.”

Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, executive member for education and skills, also said the decision to close the school was made with a “heavy heart”.

Today’s decision comes after pupil numbers at the school dwindled from 155 in 2018 to just one earlier this month.

The inadequate rating by Ofsted inspectors came in 2020 and meant the school had to become part of an academy, however, it failed to one to secure its future.

Woodfield Community Primary School, which opened around 1964, then held merger talks with the nearby Grove Road Community Primary School, but these fell through.

Financial troubles have also hit the school, with debts forecast to reach almost £100,000 by the end of 2022/23 set to be absorbed by the county council.

The closure will also mean the Woodfield catchment area will be shared with both Bilton Grange Primary School and Grove Road Community Primary School.