Parents in limbo over primary school's future

Parents and staff at a primary school which was under threat of closure say they have been left in limbo over its long-term future.

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.

Despite those plans being put on hold by Leeds City Council last month, the authority said a further report on options for the school's future was being drawn up.

Meanwhile, parent Lyndsey Cope said she had been "sick with worry" over the school's fate and the council needed to "act fast".

The Labour-led council had agreed in March to press ahead with permanently shutting the school.

But the plans were put on hold after parents launched a legal challenge based on on "significant flaws in the consultation process".

However, since the decision was reversed, parents said there had been no indication on when the matter would be finally resolved.

Sibel, whose child attends Queensway, said the whole process had been "emotionally draining".

"The council have no idea how much damage they've done to my whole family.

"The time I've wasted worrying about my son's future... and the impact it's had on his older brother who has also been worrying about his little brother."

She added: "The council needs to do the right thing now and support our school."

Rick, another parent of a six-year-old pupil, said: "Leeds Council now has the chance to make up for all their failings on this issue but must do immediately and sincerely and go on the record now to state they will not look to close Queensway ever again."

Lisa Lavelle, learning support assistant in social, emotional and mental health provision at Queensway, said the effect it had had on children, staff and the whole community had been "unacceptable".

"The lack of transparency and understanding from the council's assessment team is extremely worrying," she said.

At the council's latest executive board meeting, Councillor Alan Lamb, leader of the Conservative group, said the "pain and distress" caused to the school, staff, pupils and wider community was "enormous".

He added: "We need to give absolute clarity and certainty to them as soon as possible."

The authority's leader James Lewis said the council was sorry for the distress caused, adding: "I'll be very clear that we will learn from how we got here."

He added: "We will bring a further paper forward soon proposing next steps and time will be taken to consider all possible options before coming back to the executive board."

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