North Yorkshire Council launch consultation on plans to permanently shut sixth form at Boroughbridge High School

The overall numbers of students on roll at the school have been falling for several years.

As a result, and following consultation in the autumn of 2021, the decision was made in the spring of 2022 by the federated governing board of Boroughbridge High School and King James’s School to temporarily suspend entries to the sixth form for two years from September of that year.

Earlier this month, North Yorkshire Council’s Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills, Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, agreed to start a consultation which will seek views on the potential permanent closure of the school’s sixth-form provision.

A wide range of interested parties, including parents and the wider community, are being asked for their views before a decision on the next steps is taken.

The closing date for responses is 5pm on Friday, March 1.

A public meeting has also been arranged to be held at Boroughbridge High School at 6pm on Thursday, February 8, for people to have their say about the future of the school’s sixth-form provision.

Councillor Wilkinson said: “This is an important consultation, and it is essential we take everybody’s views into account.

“Boroughbridge High School has worked in collaboration with King James’s School to ensure that students have access to a wide post-16 offer and to try to maintain sixth-form provision at the school.

“However, the school have identified that a decline in pupil numbers has made it more difficult to maintain viable sixth-form class sizes in terms of quality of experience, subject breadth and financial viability.

“I would urge parents and residents of the Boroughbridge community to share their views during the consultation period.”

The council’s executive members will consider the consultation feedback on March 19, and if they decide to proceed, statutory proposals would be published, providing a further four weeks for views to be received, before a final decision is made in the summer.

If the proposed closure is approved at the end of the required process, then the sixth-form provision at Boroughbridge High School would permanently shut from August 31 this year.

There would be no changes to staffing with the proposed permanent closure of the sixth form.

For more information about the consultation, visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/BB6Form online