School's 'utter disbelief' over potential closure

A headteacher has said his school community is "devastated" after being told it was under threat of closure for the second time in just over two years.

A three-week consultation on the future of Queensway Primary School in Yeadon is to begin on Monday.

According to Leeds City Council, financial pressures and a low number of five-year-olds living in the area have put the school's long-term sustainability at risk.

Mark Duce told the BBC staff and parents were in "utter disbelief" at facing the prospect of potential closure again.

He said these proposals had come "out of the blue" and closure would have an "unbelievable" impact on children.

"This is where they belong, this is all they have grown up knowing, this is their safe space," he said.

Back in 2022, a consultation to close the school was abandoned following backlash from parents.

Mr Duce said he had been assured then that the school was safe.

"You start to lose faith and trust in the system; it is a real kick in the teeth."

Of the 81 children at Queensway Primary, Mr Duce said around half of them require special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provisions.

Staff have created a special room for children who find learning in a classroom environment challenging.

He added: "There is a high level of need and vulnerability. We are more than just school to them, we are a community, we are a family."

Sibel Ansell chose Queensway Primary for her son's education because of their SEND provisions.

Her six-year-old is on the autism spectrum and they wanted a setting that would support his needs.

The 41-year-old held back tears as she told the BBC she felt "betrayed" learning of the potential closure.

"We have been here before, we have had the same consultation and we were promised we would not have this discussion again."

She said it would be "horrendous" to send her son to another school.

"He will regress, he has started to talk now, he is interacting with others.

"For me to feel comfortable leaving him with people, you cannot buy that."

Nicholas Humphrey is a foster carer with three children at Queensway Primary. He credits the school with keeping them in mainstream education.

"The work the school has done with the children in my care who have additional needs and suffered quite severe trauma in their lives has been second to none," said the 58-year-old.

"It has been the only constant in the lives of the children who I look after.

"It just seems to me that once again, we are picking on the weakest in society."

The consultation will run from 20 January until 9 February.

A spokesperson for the council said: "Since the previous consultation in 2022, the Department for Education has been unable to find a suitable academy trust to sponsor the school.

"Crucially, the school faces an increasingly challenging budget position and there are very low numbers of five-year-olds living in the area, putting the school's long-term sustainability at risk.

"We understand this news will be disappointing, however, as a local authority we have a responsibility to now revisit the viability of the school, and therefore are seeking the views of the community and all interested parties on its possible closure."

Mr Duce said he was expecting 15 children to join the reception class in September.

"We will fight," he added.

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