Public Consultation Proposed for Future of Rural Schools

Plans for a public consultation regarding the future of two rural educational institutions are slated for review. Hackforth and Hornby Church of England Primary School, situated close to Catterick Garrison, has experienced financial difficulties due to declining student enrollment in recent years, currently serving only 12 pupils. The governing board of the school has formally asked North Yorkshire Council for a consultation to determine the school’s future direction, with this request scheduled for consideration at a council meeting on 5 November. During the identical meeting, discussions will also address the future of the sixth-form provision at Wensleydale School in Leyburn, which currently enrolls only eight sixth-form students. Admissions to Wensleydale School’s sixth form are presently on temporary hold, though the school continues to operate for students aged 11-16. Richmond School, located slightly more than nine miles from Leyburn, is the closest alternative sixth-form option. Several rural schools within North Yorkshire have ceased operations over the past year, among them Fountains Earth Child of England Primary in Nidderdale and St Hilda’s Church of England Primary in Ampleforth. Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, tasked with determining whether a public consultation should proceed, stated: “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.” Should approval be granted, the consultations are planned to span five weeks starting 11 November, with a public gathering scheduled for early December. The council’s executive committee would subsequently be slated to review the feedback from the consultation in January, with a definitive decision anticipated in March.