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Wakefield schools to close over empty classes crisis
COUNCIL bosses in Wakefield have agreed to the closure of two of the district's schools as part of sweeping changes to tackle an empty classroom crisis.
Council bosses met this week to agree to the closures of Standbridge Primary School in Wakefield and Burntwood J&I School in South Kirkby.
Both schools will close on August 31.
As reported in the YEP last week, parents at Standbridge have fought to keep the Kettlethorpe school open since council bosses first said they intended to close it in December.
The council say falling pupil numbers, as well as two out of three Ofsted reports which placed the school in a category of concern, led them to consider closure as the best option.
But parents who have fought to keep the school open insisted it had not been given a fair chance to improve.
A report to the cabinet said the number of pupils needed to fill the school does not exist in the local area.
It added that the admission number for Standbridge was small for a non-rural school, with funding based on the number of pupils creating financial pressures.
Neighbouring Hendal Primary School has been named as the alternative school for pupils. The current catchment area for Standbridge will be incorporated into Hendal under the plans.
Burntwood's most recent Ofsted report had been good but like Standbridge, it was earmarked for closure under a review of the district's schools which came up with ways to reduce 5,000 surplus places. The school, which has 85 pupils and 19 part-time nursery children, has 55 spare places.
Council bosses say empty seats across the district cost the authority 5m every year.
Coun Pat Garbutt, the council's portfolio holder for children and young people, said Burntwood's success was down to the management and staff.
She said: "It's difficult for them but we are supporting parents and children that go to the school."
Earlier this year the council announced proposals for closures and mergers of 15 of the district's schools.
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