Schools merger will provide ‘excellent education’ for children in Harrogate’s most deprived area

Woodfield Primary School and Grove Road Primary School will become one in September 2022 if the proposals are approved.

The plans were progressed at a North Yorkshire County Council executive meeting on Tuesday when members agreed that a statutory notice proposing the move should be published.

This was despite objections from some parents who said "Woodfield School's problems should not become Grove Road's problems" after Woodfield was judged inadequate and put into special measures by Ofsted, before failing to find an academy to take it over.

These comments were made during a consultation which closed in January and received just 12 responses.

Councillor Patrick Mulligan, executive member for education and skills at the county council, said this low figure was "quite unusual" and something he believes is "tacit approval" for the merger.

Councillor Paul Haslam, who represents the Bilton area and is a governor at Woodfield Primary School, also said it was key that the school avoided a full closure - despite its struggling pupil roll and finances.

He said: "We know that the provision of excellent education is the cornerstone of moving areas out of poverty.

"Woodfield is the most deprived ward in Harrogate and one of the most deprived in North Yorkshire. We must keep a school in this area.

"There may be some short-term logistical challenges, but I believe this merger will be great for the pupils, parents and area."

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The two schools sit just half a mile apart, but have very different ratings, pupils numbers and finances.

Grove Road is rated as good by Ofsted inspectors, while Woodfield received its inadequate rating and was put into special measures in January 2020.

Woodfield is also forecasting to be almost £333,000 in debt by 2024 due to having just 49 pupils on its books, while Grove Road is currently operating at capacity with almost 300 pupils and is forecasting a budget surplus by 2026.

The proposed merger has been agreed by both governing bodies of the schools, and statutory proposals will be now published in March.

After this, a final decision on the move will then be made by the county council's executive in April.

If the proposals go ahead, nursery aged children will attend the site at Woodfield, which will be re-named Grove Road Nursery from September.

Eventually all Key Stage One pupils will be taught at the Woodfield site, with Key Stage Two being taught at the larger Grove Road site.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter