Issue - meetings

The Director of Prevention and Commissioning to present a report which sets out options for the future of primary school provision in Naburn, in the context of the complex challenges affecting this provision and the outcome of a recent Ofsted inspection of Naburn school.  

Resolved:  That Option 3 be approved: to follow a twin track approach of working to identify an academy sponsor within the next 6 to 8 months, whilst at the same time consulting on the future of primary school places in the village of Naburn.

Reasons:   a)      To ensure that the local authority is fulfilling its statutory duty to manage the sufficiency and quality of school places in an efficient and cost effective way, given that the school has received a directive academy order as a result of being placed in special measures and is vulnerable due to falling rolls and the impact this is having on its future financial sustainability.

b)      The publication of the statutory notice proposing the closure of Naburn Primary School, followed by a six-week representation period, will allow the LA to fully consider all further observations and comments received and decide whether to proceed with the proposals; at the same time work will continue to take place to support the school’s improvement and to continue the search for an academy sponsor.

The Assistant Director, Education & Skills presented a report which set out options for the future of primary school provision in Naburn, in the context of the complex challenges affecting this provision and the outcome of a recent Ofsted inspection of Naburn Primary School, a voluntary controlled Church of England school.  

The school had been experiencing falling rolls for the last 5 years and had been placed in special measures following an Ofsted inspection in December 2021.  The possibility of academy conversion or federation with another maintained primary school had been considered before the inspection but proved unviable.  Three options were now available to the local authority, as detailed in paragraphs 10-14 of the report and summarised below:

Option 1 – continue to support the school until an academy sponsor can be found.  This was not recommended due to the financial risk and the risk of a further fall in pupil numbers.

Option 2 – publish a statutory notice proposing closure of the school.

Option 3 – follow a twin track approach of working to identify an academy sponsor whilst beginning a consultation on the future of primary school places in Naburn.  This was the recommended option.  Officers confirmed that, should a sponsor not be found, the results of the consultation would be brought back to Executive for consideration of the closure process.  

Having noted the comments made on this item under Public Participation, it was

Resolved:  That Option 3 be approved: to follow a twin track approach of working to identify an academy sponsor within the next 6 to 8 months, whilst at the same time consulting on the future of primary school places in the village of Naburn.

Reasons:   a)      To ensure that the local authority is fulfilling its statutory duty to manage the sufficiency and quality of school places in an efficient and cost effective way, given that the school has received a directive academy order as a result of being placed in special measures and is vulnerable due to falling rolls and the impact this is having on its future financial sustainability.

b)      The publication of the statutory notice proposing the closure of Naburn Primary School, followed by a six-week representation period, will allow the LA to fully consider all further observations and comments received and decide whether to proceed with the proposals; at the same time work will continue to take place to support the school’s improvement and to continue the search for an academy sponsor.