Concerns as Southway behavioural school in Leeds put at risk of closure over 'funding issues'
A behavioural school in Leeds has been placed at risk of closure.
Staff at Southway Independent School, located on Middleton Road, Belle Isle, were informed last week that the school could close as a result of funding issues.
Despite this, the YEP understands that concerns raised that a closure was imminent with staff facing redundancies are incorrect.
Part of the Resilience Multi Academy Trust, the specialist school is for pupils with behavioural, social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties who are at risk of being permanently excluded from their mainstream school.
A Trust spokesperson said: “Southway is not closing. Southway is at risk of closure due to funding issues, in the interests of transparency, staff's were informed of the same last week.”
The news comes just eight months after the school was praised for bringing “hope and confidence to its pupils,” following a visit from Ofsted inspectors.
Southway provides places for children in KS3 and KS4, offering a high-quality education package to meet the range of behavioural needs of its pupils.
Leaders at Resilience Multi Academy Trust are understood to be in open dialogue with Leeds City Council and the Area Inclusion Partnerships, who currently commission places at the school, about the situation.
“We’re aware of the announcement about the potential closure of Southway Independent School, who provide alternative provision for children from local schools. We appreciate the impact this will have on the school community,” a council spokesperson said.
“Local authorities have a limited role in the independent school sector, however we will continue to liaise with the Resilience Multi-Academy Trust, and the schools and Area Inclusion Partnerships who currently commission places at Southway for their pupils, to ensure that all students have an appropriate education offer should the Trust confirm a decision to close Southway.”
Southway was originally set up by Leeds City Council as part of the exclusion trial in 2010, to provide short-term placements to get south Leeds to the point where it had zero exclusions from its secondary schools, but now takes students from all across the city.
In March 2019, Southway registered as an Independent School and has been inspected under the Independent Schools Standards Inspection Framework.
Trust leaders have vowed to keep staff and parents up to date with any developments.