Purpose

This report follows an announcement made by
the Dales Academy proposal to close Kirkby Fleetham Church of
England Primary School at the end of the Summer term 2025.
The school is identified as a rural academy.
In accordance with the presumption against closure of rural
academies, the Local Authority needs to agree to the closure.
The report will seek the Local Authority’s agreement to the
proposed closure of the rural academy.

Decision

The Council notes the Substantive Closure
Decision taken by the Secretary of State on 29 January 2025 under
the DfE’s “Closure of an academy by mutual
agreement” guidance dated October 2024.

The Council does not oppose the decision already taken by the
Secretary of State on the 29 January 2025 to close Kirkby Fleetham
Primary School.

To agree on a stakeholder consultation on catchment area proposals
to be
effective from September 2025 that:
• The shared catchment area of Applegarth and Kirkby Fleetham
becomes a
discrete catchment area for Applegarth Primary School.
• The discrete catchment area of Kirkby Fleetham becomes a
discrete catchment area for Aiskew Leeming Bar CE Primary
School