Academy trust running Dewsbury and Batley schools make u-turn over early Christmas closure

Focus Trust’s 15 schools, based in the North West and West Yorkshire, were going to shut on December 11.

Its schools include Birstall Primary Academy and Fieldhead Primary Academy, Batley; Boothroyd Primary Academy and Thornhill Junior and Infant School, Dewsbury.

However the trust has confirmed that its 15 schools will now close in line with their previously published term dates (December 17 or 18).

The Trust said while the plan to commence the holiday early had been made ‘in the best interest of families and staff’, and the time would be made up later in the year with schools offering 190 days of education, the Trust received a ‘formal letter’ directing them to overturn the decision by the Department of Education.

Further to a Trust Board meeting over the weekend and consultation with the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) for Lancashire and West Yorkshire on Sunday evening, the Trust was also informed that, under the Coronavirus Act 2020, it was not permitted to change its term dates for Covid related reasons.

A further request for two inset days at the end of term was also subsequently rejected.

The Chair of the Trust Board, Clive Davies, and the Trust’s Chief Executive, Helen Rowland, said: “All of our decisions are taken with the best interests of our children, staff and the community in mind.

“This has been a very disruptive and exceptional term for all concerned, with the impact of Covid-19 being felt throughout our schools, resulting in absenteeism and staff shortages across the board.”

“During our discussion on Sunday evening with the RSC we were made aware, for the first time, that under the Coronavirus Act 2020, individual trusts have no academy freedoms to make decisions for Covid related reasons, such as setting their own term dates.

“Although we are very disappointed at having to inform our staff and families of a change to our plans, we accept the DfE’s position and have reverted to the original term days.

“We welcome the Government’s commitment to the roll out of increased and faster testing, and we hope that schools will be amongst the first to benefit from this development.” “Our full team remains committed to providing our children with a first-class education.”

The Trust had originally announced plans to introduce remote learning for the final week of term but following initial feedback from the DfE it later announced that it would extend the Christmas break for the children, with the time being made up later in the year.