Headteacher 'hopeful' after school closure paused
The headteacher of a primary school which was under threat of closure says he is "hopeful" about its future after new discussions with the council.
Queensway Primary School in Yeadon, Leeds, was due to shut at the end of the school year due to financial pressures and the low number of five-year-olds in the area.
But it was announced earlier this week that the plans had been paused after a successful challenge to the closure based on "significant flaws in the consultation process".
Headteacher Mark Duce said the whole experience had been a "rollercoaster", and while plans beyond the summer remained uncertain, his priority was making sure his "wonderful school continues to develop and prosper".
Specialist education lawyers for Irwin Mitchell said on Tuesday they had succesfully challenged the authority's decision to close Queensway Primary.
Leeds City Council subsequently confirmed it would not issue a statutory closure notice for the school and it would "communicate the next steps, including directly communicating with stakeholders, shortly".
Mr Duce told the BBC that in the light of the latest developments, staff and parents were "feeling a mix of optimism and hope".
"But, at the same time, there's a lot of confusion about where we're at, with the different next steps," he said.
He explained that a meeting of Leeds City Council's executive board was due to be held next week, where members would be asked to rescind the proposal to issue the school with a statutory closure notice.
But Mr Duce said it was still unknown when the matter would finally be resolved, with no set deadline.
He said it was a "complex issue", but he and others were "frustrated" as the legal challenge had shown the council's procedure to be incorrect.
The challenge had been launched amid parents' concerns the closure would have a considerable impact on pupils with special educational needs (SEND).
Almost half the school's intake is made up of SEND pupils, and parents said mainstream schools in the area would not be able to meet their children's needs.
Meanwhile, Mr Duce said the pupils were also worried, but staff members were doing their best to "keep them protected".
He said that for now, the school would welcome new starters in September and it would be open for current pupils to return.
"But it's just not acceptable that we're going round in circles, and the anxiety it's causing the children isn't good for them. We need clear answers," he said.
Mr Duce said he had experienced "so many different emotions on this rollercoaster ride for so long".
However, he said he had been assured by the council that "lessons will be learned" for the future.
He said that for the present moment: "It's my job to steer the ship and make sure we continue to do a wonderful job.
"We've got the community behind us and a fantastic school, and it's about continuing that journey as best we can."
Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
School closure plan on hold after legal challenge
Primary school set to close despite parent protest
Parents tell of school closure 'sleepless nights'
Protest held against school's possible closure
School's 'utter disbelief' over potential closure
Leeds City Council
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Harvest mice return to marsh after 50 years
The harvest mouse - Europe's smallest rodent - has returned to a city's marshlands after 50 years. The tiny mice, which weigh less than a 50p coin, have been found at Breary Marsh in Leeds for the first time since 1975. David L Preston, countryside ranger at Leeds City Council, said it was "fantastic" to see the mice back in Breary Marsh. He said: "It shows that all the work we've been doing in changing our practices has worked wonders for the natural habitat." According to the Mammal Society, the species was once widespread across the UK but has seen rapid declines in many areas due to changing farming practices, resulting in a loss of natural habitat. The team at Breary Marsh believe the mice have returned because of a change to the way staff care for the land. They have begun using traditional scything instead of mowing, and leaving areas of wildflower meadow, verges and wetlands uncut. According to the Wildlife Trust, harvest mice live in long, tussocky grassland, reed beds, hedgerows and around woodland edges. They struggle to live in thin or short grass, as the stems are too weak to support their spherical nests which they create from tightly woven grass, elevated from the ground in tall grasses. A monitoring programme has now been set up with Yorkshire Mammal Group to understand the spread of the mouse population on the site. Breary Marsh is a Local Nature Reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest, which borders Golden Acre Park in north Leeds. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Harvest mice on the move as nest site widens Harvest mice reintroduced to wood after 45 years Harvest mice 'rediscovered' in village
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
New home for one of port's last deep-sea trawlers
A new home for one of a port's last surviving deep-sea trawlers is expected to open to visitors next year. The visitor centre at North End Shipyard in Hull, which is part of a major regeneration project, will host Arctic Corsair. With views along the River Hull, the venue will provide a space to explore the area's maritime history and include a learning space for schools. Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: "This new visitor centre is not only a place to explore Hull's maritime past – it's a vision for the future." Built in 1960, Arctic Corsair was involved in the Cod Wars with Iceland in the 1970s and rammed an Icelandic gunboat during the dispute. The ship, which has been restored, will be the star exhibit at the new maritime museum after it sets sail to the North End Shipyard and is berthed in the dry dock. Visitors to the building, which is funded by the local authority and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will be able to learn about the life of a trawlerman, with first-hand stories from former crew members. Gillian Osgerby, the council's interim assistant director for major projects and infrastructure, said: "The story shouts about what makes Hull really special." A restored Scotch Derrick crane, which is a survivor of the River Hull shipbuilding that ended in the 1990s, will also return to the site later this year. The council said the new two-storey facility would be one of the most energy-efficient cultural buildings in the UK. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Crane repair part of city's maritime history Cod Wars weapon presented to museum Cod War captains meet for first time since clash Hull City Council
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
City roadworks uncover medieval hospital remains
Historic remains believed to be part of one of the largest medieval hospitals in the north of England have been uncovered during emergency roadworks in York. The works began after a sinkhole opened up outside the Theatre Royal on St Leonard's Place in May. After further investigation, archaeologists uncovered what is believed to be part of the 12th to13th Century St Leonard's Hospital, which covered an area between the modern day Museum Gardens and the theatre. Councillor Kate Ravilious, executive member for transport, said the finds were "fascinating" but admitted they had delayed the completion of the roadworks. "We knew that there is a lot of complex archaeology in the area dating back to the Roman legionary fortress," she said. "Throughout the works we have been live to this while doing all we can to get off site as quickly as possible." The area around the discovery was used as the Royal Mint in the post-Reformation era. The finds, which have been documented and sent for further analysis, are believed to become part of the Mint Yard, a sprawling area of streets and buildings in the early 19th Century. The buildings were flattened in 1836 to make way for a Georgian streetscape and the area became one of the most fashionable parts of the city during the time period. Demolished parts of the city walls were used to make the base for the road. Repair works are now able to resume, but the current closure of one lane on St Leonard's Place will remain until 13 June, when it is anticipated both lanes will reopen. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. 'Urgent investigation' into sinkhole - council Medieval artefacts found during bridge demolition City of York Council
