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BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Parents 'respect' head's decision to leave Yeadon school
Parents have said they do not blame a headteacher and his staff for deciding to leave a primary school amid uncertainty about its Primary School in Yeadon was due to shut at the end of the school year but the plan was paused after parents launched a legal challenge over the council's decision. Headteacher Mark Duce, who will not return in September, said because of the lack of clarity over the school's future he and other teachers had taken the "incredibly hard decision" to find new jobs. Vicky Lancaster, whose children attended Queensway, said: "The work Mark has done has been amazing, and everybody in that school, we all respect him and just want the best for him." The school, which had already fought off closure in 2023, was due to shut at the end of the summer term due to dwindling pupil numbers and financial specialist education lawyers for Irwin Mitchell successfully challenged the authority's decision based on "significant flaws in the consultation process".Since then, parents and staff said they had been left in limbo over its future while Leeds City Council was working on a report on options for its Lancaster said: "I have the utmost respect for all the teachers, and Mark especially, and I understand they've had to do what's right for them." The 40-year-old said she had already moved her son and daughter to another school."I felt very disloyal doing this but the council has given us no indication what's going to happen, so because of this I decided it was time for them to leave."She said the school community could "hold their heads up high" at what they had parent, Rick Ansell, said parents and teachers had been "backed into a corner where they're forced to choose between paying the mortgage, or staying and praying the school survives".Mr Duce, who has been Queensway's head for four years, said he had "so much guilt" about his decision to leave but had reached a point where the school's future was out of his control."There's so much guilt because we do not want to leave this wonderful school behind."But from a human and personal point of view, it's got to the point where the lack of clarity and the uncertainty continuing going forwards, I've had to make that decision to look elsewhere."He said the board of governors were working hard to find a replacement head and new teachers, but that he would not leave the school in a "weakened position".Leeds City Council said a report on the school was expected to be presented to the council's executive board in July.A spokesperson said: "As a foundation school, it is the governing body which is responsible for employment matters at the school, including the recruitment and retention of teaching staff. "The council continues to seek to provide support and advice to the school and is actively engaged with the head and governing body to ensure the school is appropriately staffed for September 2025." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Teachers to leave Yeadon school after closure threat
Teachers are set to leave a primary school due to its uncertain future despite a council reversing a decision to close it City Council said Queensway Primary School in Yeadon would shut at the end of this school year due to dwindling pupil numbers and financial the decision was put on hold after parents launched legal action. It is the second time the school has been threatened with closure since Mark Duce said he and other staff at the school had now made the "incredibly difficult" decision to leave amid the uncertainty. He said: "Despite the halting of the second consultation to close the school and due to the lack of clarity provided regarding the long-term future of Queensway at this stage, class teachers and myself have had to make the incredibly difficult decision to leave the school at the end of the summer."I am working alongside governors at present to ensure an effective leadership and teaching team is in place for September and will endeavour to share updates as soon as we are able to do so."We thank our parents and potential parents for their patience at this time."Fears were raised for the welfare of children with special educational needs after the council launched a consultation over the school's future. Law firm Irwin Mitchell then successfully challenged the closure decision, saying there were flaws in the consultation process, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Alan Lamb said the council should issue advice for parents of children to the school, which will now be open as normal in at an executive board meeting, he said: "What's been fed back to me is there has been a total lack of clarity. Very limited communication."However, councillor Julie Longworth said apologies had been given for the distress caused to teaching staff and families. "We have been in regular communication and conversation with the leaders in the school and also with the governors," she council said it has launched a "lessons learned" exercise to improve the way it would handle future school decisions.A report and recommendations will also be discussed by councillors on the Children and Families scrutiny board at a meeting on Wednesday 25 June 25. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
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
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Yeadon Queensway headteacher 'hopeful' after 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 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 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 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 Mr Duce said it was still unknown when the matter would finally be resolved, with no set 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 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 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.
