Rural North Yorkshire primary school nestled in Howardian Hills with no pupils set for closure

Hovingham Church of England Primary School’s pupil numbers have been dwindling over recent years and its governors have now asked North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) to start the process of closing it down.

The school is situated in the heart of the village in the Howardian Hills Area of Natural Beauty (AONB) and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2015.

It was judged as good in its last Ofsted inspection in 2017, but no pupils remained at the school when term began last month.

The school is part of a federation with St Hilda’s School in Ampleforth seven miles away.

Amanda Newbold, assistant director for education and skills at North Yorkshire County Council, said: “Since September governors have appointed a new interim head teacher at Hovingham and St Hilda’s federation. Sarah Moore is an executive head teacher who also has responsibility for Foston, Terrington and Stillington schools.

“Prior to Mrs Moore’s arrival, pupil numbers at Hovingham School had fallen during the school year and since the start of the current term no children have attended.

“The Governing Board have considered the position of the school carefully and recently decided, reluctantly and with regret, to request that the county council undertake a consultation on the school’s future. The consultation, if approved, would be undertaken later in the autumn term and would include a public meeting on a date to be confirmed.’’

Johanna Senior, head of the governing board, declined to comment further.

Villagers have been told of the plans in their monthly newsletter. One villager wrote: “This is a very serious situation for both current and future children in the area and its previously central role in the community.

“The school has existed for over 160 years and its previous very high reputation has diminished as many pupils who had attended the school left to other schools in the area.”

The school opened in 1864, with 42 children on roll, and has been in the same Victorian building since, although extensions have been built including a new mezzanine to house a technology suite in 2002.

Children had attended from nearby hamlets Scackleton, Coulton, Nunnington and Cawton, none of which has a remaining primary school.

In its last Ofsted inspection, the school had 39 pupils.

Inspectors praised the behaviour of pupils and the quality of teaching on offer.