PARENTS have spoken out in support of a faith school which announced it is to close for good next month.
Hope House - which started out life as Barnsley Christian School - is shutting in April.
The news has been met with sadness and disappointment from parents who were told at a meeting last week. They must now find places for their children in other schools.
Reasons for the closure have been blamed on children being ‘unexpectedly removed’ from the school along with ‘considerable amounts of outstanding fees and unpaid trip money from the last academic year’. Changes to legislation and ongoing challenges to make sure the building meets health and safety standards have also impacted on the school’s fortunes.
It’s understood fees at the school - believed to have 54 children on the books - depend on the age of the child but can be anywhere from £370 a month for juniors and up to £455 a month for older children.
One mother, who did not wish to be named, said some parents had asked whether the school can remain open until July to allow pupils to finish the academic year but the school has been advised it must close mid-term.
“Some people are wanting it to carry on longer and put more money in,” she said.
“The school has said if people are going to start taking kids out of school it may be that it can’t stay open until April.
“Someone from the local authority is coming in to tell us what we can do (to find school places).”
The midterm closure means disruption to education for all pupils. Those in year six face moving to another primary for just a matter of weeks before going on to secondary school.
It is understood those pupils in year 11 will have finished their courses by Easter and will be able to sit their exams at the school. Those in year ten will have to continue their studies at another school before taking their final examinations next year.
Amanda Clough has four children at Hope House, all in different years from reception through to year nine.
She said the school had done its best to survive and has pupils’ interests at heart.
“The school is fantastic and has gone above and beyond,” she said. “It has tried to do what’s best for the children.
“I think the school has tried to protect us as much as possible.
“When we got the news (it is to shut) I was heartbroken and it’s like a bereavement.
“I’m not having a knee-jerk reaction and putting them anywhere.
“I’m hoping there will be a group of parents who come together to home school. There is also a Christian school in Sheffield.”
Another parent said the school had been ‘fantastic for all the children’ particularly supporting those with special education needs, adding: “All the teachers support them and love them as if they are their own children. They have been on reduced wages so that the school could continue because they love those children.”
Paul Bedford, the acting chairman of governors, told the Chronicle it had not been an easy decision to reach or one taken lightly by the directors, whose own children go to the school.
He explained there were several reasons for it shutting.
“A change in legislation makes it much more difficult to maintain the independent choices we could make at one point and we don’t have the freedom we once had,” said Mr Bedford.
“The expense of running the school has increased considerably and the school roll has fallen and that impacts on us.
“It is ticking over as a good school but we would like it to be thriving and growing.
“It got to the point of saying is there a viable way forward - probably not.
“Education in Barnsley has improved dramatically in the 31 years we have been open.
“The need for a school like ours isn’t there in the way that it was because of the improvements to education.
“It has been a very difficult decision.”
