Parents have say on closure of York school (From York Press)

Parents have say on closure of York school

9:25am Friday 11th January 2013 in News By Haydn Lewis, Education reporter

PARENTS near a York primary school threatened with closure have until February 15 to have their say on plans to merge it with another school nearby.

The parents of the 100 pupils at Derwent School in Tang Hall and nearby Osbaldwick primary are about half-way through a consultation process being run by City of York Council to formally close Derwent and merge the two schools on the two existing school sites.

Last month The Press reported that Derwent head Carole Torode’s decision to take early retirement at Christmas had sparked a review into the future of Derwent School as the school has the most surplus places of any primary in the city.

A council spokesman said an open event was held in December at Osbaldwick School for parents from that school while meetings are being arranged for later this month for Derwent School parents. These will be followed by a meeting on January 28 for parents from both schools. The details are yet to be confirmed.

He said: “The message to parents is to please engage in the consultation process as fully as possible and give their feedback at the meetings and online. Letters will be going out via the schools about the up-coming meetings and the one on January 28 will provide parents with the opportunity to meet council officers and talk through their concerns and ask any questions they may have.”

When Mrs Torode left Osbaldwick’s current head, Lesley Barringer, became the executive head for both schools until September. Once the consultation ends on February 15, decisions will be taken in the spring in time for any changes to be in place by September.