A PUBLIC consultation is to be launched on the future of a North Yorkshire residential school for boys with behavioural, social and emotional difficulties, which council chiefs want to be run by an independent provider.
North Yorkshire County Council said the exercise was needed if it is to stop running Foremost School, near Harrogate, which Ofsted placed in special measures last year. A decision will be taken in June, with the aim of having new arrangements in place from this autumn.
Foremost opened almost two years ago, but costs £2 million a year to run and the council said it had faced “a challenging time”. If the proposals go ahead, the authority would block-buy a number of placements, including for pupils currently at the school.
Coun Arthur Barker, executive member for schools, said: “We believe the option being consulted on – for a highly reputable independent provider to manage and run Foremost – would provide a sustainable long-term future for this school.” The consultation will take place in spring.
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