Rural school with one pupil faces closure

A RURAL primary school faced with closure at Christmas is still providing teaching services – despite having just one pupil on roll.

A consultation on the future of Skipton Ings Community Primary was launched in June after school governors conceded it was not sustainable, with a decision set to be made by North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) next month.

At the time of the consultation launch it had 42 pupils but now – three weeks into the new school term – it emerges just one returned after the summer holidays. And, with the school legally obliged to stay open until an alternative place can be found, the child is being looked after by an acting headteacher. “It’s very sad that a school is facing closure,” said Skipton Coun Andrew Solloway. “But there’s only one child being educated. It’s obviously not very economical to have a school in this situation.”

School governors asked for a consultation into Ings Primary’s closure in June, as they felt it was no longer sustainable.

With a capacity for 85 children, it had 42 in primary school and five in nursery, and was facing deficits of £249,000 in 2019/20.

A spokesman for NYCC said: “North Yorkshire County Council is keeping Ings open, in line with legal requirements, until all pupils are allocated a place at preferred new schools. Only a very small number of pupils remain while waiting for placements at appropriate nearby schools.

“The council is right to ensure that all pupils are safe and have access to education at school until placed in schools in line with their parents’ preference.”