North Yorkshire village school with one pupil faces closure

The aboriginal of a North Yorkshire superior schoolhouse with conscionable 1 pupil is expected to beryllium decided astatine a gathering later.

A study to councillors recommends that Skelton Newby Hall Church of England Primary School should adjacent successful August.

No children person applied to survey astatine the schoolhouse adjacent twelvemonth and nary pupils person been allocated a spot there.

With pupil numbers determining its budget, the study said determination appeared to beryllium "no tenable imaginable of recovery" for the school.

Skelton Newby Hall Primary, successful Skelton-on-Ure, adjacent Ripon has suffered dwindling numbers for respective years.

At the opening of September 2021 determination were lone 15 pupils left, positive 2 children successful its nursery.

By February 2023, conscionable 1 pupil remained connected its roll, though that pupil was really taught astatine the adjacent Sharow Church of England Primary School, which is federated with Skelton Newby Hall.

The school, which was founded successful 1856, has capableness for 52 students.

A study to North Yorkshire Council said crossed the country determination was imaginable for 188 further pupils to articulation 5 adjacent schools until 2027-28 and determination was besides imaginable to supply further capableness astatine Boroughbridge Community Primary School.

Skelton cum Newby Parish Council had submitted an enactment program developed by a radical including respective headteachers to prevention the school, but the latest study has rejected those proposals.

The report, owed to beryllium scrutinised by North Yorkshire councillors astatine a gathering connected Tuesday, includes the findings of a consultation giving people's thoughts connected wherefore Skelton Newby Hall Primary had failed.

Some said becoming portion of a federation had caused its demise, portion others said it had not been fixed capable attraction by the religion and the council.

According to 1 contributor, a "requires improvement" judgement from Ofsted successful 2019 had led to an "exodus" of pupils.