‘Good will over council primary school place bid is being eroded’

GOOD WILL over support for a Yorkshire council’s attempts to fill a primary school places ‘black hole’ is in danger of being eroded, a headteacher has warned, as concerns are raised over contentious proposals.

Leeds City Council is consulting on proposals to make Moor Allerton Hall Primary School and the nearby Allerton Grange School an all-through school on one combined site.

Now, in a significant move, the headteacher and governors at a third school nearby have written to the authority amid concerns over the scheme.

Questioning a “lack of dialogue” despite assurances they would be consulted, they said the announcement over the plans was made without the knowledge of local schools.

“Like many other schools, we take our duty to discuss options very seriously, yet were not consulted on the feasibility of this proposal, nor involved in discussions as to the potential impact such outcomes would have on the local community,” said headteacher at Talbot Primary Parm Gill, and the chair of governors John England, in a letter to Leeds City Council. “Much of the good will schools have shown over the past few years in supporting the local authority regarding capacity and sufficiency is in danger of being eroded again.”

Further concerns were raised over site feasibility, and over how the authority intends to build capacity within nearby secondary schools to meet demand.

The proposals are the council’s response to the need to expand provision in North Leeds in light of a school places ‘black hole’ that emerged in 2015.

The plans have proved controversial within the community, with more than 500 people signing a petition to reject them, and a further 1,300 signing a petition asking for an alternative site to be made available by the council to build a new primary school.

Concerns, say parents, centre on the safeguarding of existing pupils at Moor Allerton Hall, uncertainty around the school being split over three sites and environmental and traffic issues, as well as over timescales.

Katy Kelly, a parent at Moor Allerton Hall, said: “There is very little support for these proposals, and it is frustrating that the council seems intent on pushing them through. Moor Allerton Hall parents don’t want this, local residents don’t want this, other local primary schools don’t want this, and black-hole parents believe it’s a flawed proposal.”

Andrew Eastwood, the chief officer for learning improvement at Leeds City Council, said work was under way when it came to secondary school provision.

“This is a genuine consultation which will enable us to listen and take into account the views of local people and help us shape future proposals,” he said. “This part of the consultation process is still ongoing so there’s still time for us to have some quality conversations with those involved.

“Over recent years the schools in the Roundhay area have been incredibly helpful and accommodating in helping to provide additional places for local children, and we thank them for that. This is an opportunity to deliver stability for the schools in the area and the parents and children they serve.

“We continue to work with the schools, local residents and community groups to help ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to contribute and help shape the final proposal.”