QUESTIONS have been raised over the future of rural schools after the county council announced it was pressing ahead with the close of a village primary.

North Yorkshire County Council is proposing to close Hovingham CE Primary School due to falling numbers as it will have no pupils enrolled from the next academic year.

The school’s governing body reluctantly approached the county council last autumn to consult on a proposal to close the facility, after its remaining pupils transferred to other schools.

There are currently 44 pupils of primary school age living within Hovingham’s catchment area, who attend 12 different schools in the surrounding area.

The school is federated with St Hilda’s CE Primary School, Ampleforth, and shares a governing body and headteacher.

From January this year, the Ryedale Learning Trust (RLT) began to provide leadership to Hovingham and St Hilda’s, with the intention of bringing both schools into their multi-academy trust.

The trust held an open event in December to encourage more families to enrol their children, however, it currently remains the case that no children are expected to be on roll at Hovingham School, either during the remainder of the current academic year or next year.

Cllr Steve Mason, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Amotherby and Ampleforth said: “This is extremely upsetting, the circumstances around this school closure have been difficult and unusual to say the least. There have been contributing factors that should have been addressed. So many red flags should have been raised and opportunities missed to prevent the recommendations to close this school.

“We seem to be in a spiralling pattern of school closures across North Yorkshire. The question is why? It doesn’t seem like there is a presumption to keep schools open. I will be calling for answers as to where the council has failed this school, along with the other schools in the firing line, and what measures can be introduced to prevent the loss of this key infrastructure in the future. I am confident that if the exec in their wisdom decide to close the school, it wont be the last they hear about it.”

Mark McCandless, CEO of RLT said: “We know that we can provide high quality educational provision because we have the necessary staffing and leadership experience and capacity within our schools and Trust.

“We believe that through listening to the community and providing high quality provision, Hovingham CE School could again be a school of choice in the local and wider community.

“We are also committed to continuing to work with NYCC to ensure that all schools in the Ryedale Community, including small rural schools, know that we would welcome the opportunity to engage with them, should they need support or are considering joining a Multi Academy Trust.”

Helmsley and Sinnington County Councillor George Jabbour said: “I know that many people have worked tirelessly for many months to explore all the options available to save this important community asset, including local volunteers, members of staff and governors of both Hovingham School and Ryedale Learning Trust and council officers. No one wants to be in this position, but I understand why the governing body of the school had initially approached the county council to consult on a proposal to close the facility.”

The county council’s executive is due to consider the response to the recent public consultation at its meeting on January 24.

Council officers are recommending members approve publication of proposals to close the school at the end of the current term.

If approved, there would be a further four weeks for representations to be made before a final decision is set be taken by the council’s executive in March.