Hovingham: Campaign to save school with no pupils

Villagers are campaigning to save a 150-year-old school from closure despite it having no pupils.

Numbers at Hovingham Primary in North Yorkshire have fallen over recent years with no children on its roll when the school year began in September.

Governors have asked the council to start the process of closing it down with effect from 31 March.

But campaigners have said demand for the school is there and shutting it for good would be a loss for the community.

Situated in the heart of the village in the Howardian Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the school was built by the Worsley family in 1864 and was judged as good in its last Ofsted inspection in 2017.

It has operated for the last decade with 40 pupils or fewer - but those numbers fell from 33 in May 2020 to none in September.

The governing body said as numbers had dwindled it had been difficult to provide pupils with access to the full range of experiences and the quality of education they require.

Teachers have since been relocated but campaigners are hoping to get the school back open with people being urged to register to start their children next September.

Alice Hayter, estate manager at Hovingham Estate, said there was demand for the school as there were "plenty of young families in the village".

"There's proposals for new housing so that's going to bring even more families in. We feel there is a real need here in Hovingham."

Ryedale District Councillor Steve Mason said: "There seems to be a problem that has happened that is not down to the school itself. It's a good school and judged so by Ofsted.

"To see a school like this go would be a travesty."

Another villager Christine Horne said if the school permanently shut it would affect "community spirit".

"A lot of things went on centred around school, concerts at various celebrations like Christmas."

North Yorkshire County Council said there was available capacity in the local area to "ensure sufficiency of school places".

It said a consultation on the closure plan had been taking place and all responses would be considered at a meeting of its executive on 24 January.

A final decision is due to be made on 21 March.

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