BEVERLEY – Parents in Beverley are being urged to respond to a consultation after Longcroft School announced plans to suspend new sixth form admissions for the next two years.
The school says it may pause entry into Year 12 in September 2026 and September 2027 because of very low pupil numbers and the financial strain of running sixth form provision with a small intake. For families, however, the proposal has raised immediate concern about what happens next and why such a major change appears to have come so suddenly.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said it understood the context behind the move and described it as “regrettable, but understandable” based on projected numbers.
A council spokesperson said: “Maintaining a Year 12 intake with such low numbers in September 2026 would create a financial deficit that would impact the whole school. The school is therefore consulting on parent, staff and resident views and the local authority will work with the school around any future steps, including a change to the age range of the school.”
The authority also addressed concern over the future of buildings on the site after the school referred to the possible loss of sixth form facilities.
The council said: “Longcroft School has significant capacity, with over 50 percent surplus physical space on the school site. The school and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, working with the Department for Education, are in the process of considering best use of the space across the school site, that will benefit children and young people in the East Riding.”
It added: “Utilising the surplus place for specialist and alternative provisions would require potential changes to the site. However, there is no suggestion that the Council would remove facilities without re providing them elsewhere within the school site, where that provision is required for pupils on roll at the school. Any spaces that are currently present and required in the sixth form block, would be re provided elsewhere within the existing school buildings.”
The council said it understood the consultation had created uncertainty for young people and their families and encouraged parents, carers, residents and others to respond by 3 April.
Beverley ward councillor Denis Healy said Liberal Democrat councillors had received many messages from worried parents and carers since the announcement.
He said: “Over the last few days, Liberal Democrat Ward Councillors in Beverley have received many messages from worried parents and carers about the announcement from Longcroft School about their consultation on the future of sixth form provision at the school.”
He said councillors were especially concerned by the school’s statement that the council intended to repurpose a significant part of the Longcroft site and that this would affect sixth form provision.
Ward councillors requested an urgent meeting with council leader Anne Handley, the portfolio holder, the director of education and other senior officers. That meeting took place on Monday 16 March.
Cllr Healy said: “The Council leadership and senior officers told us that they are committed to sixth form provision at Longcroft School and have never at any time suggested that Longcroft Sixth form should not exist.
“They also assured us that there is no suggestion that the Council would remove facilities, including sixth form provision, without re providing them elsewhere within the school site.
“The Council also told us that they were unaware of the School’s consultation until it was announced to parents last Friday.”
He added that the council recognised the challenge of falling student numbers, including the fact that only 27 pupils are expected to move from Year 12 into Year 13 in September 2026.
Cllr Healy said: “We understand that the School’s consultation has created some uncertainty for young people and their families, and we would encourage parents, carers, residents and others to respond to the school’s consultation by 3rd April.
For parents, that uncertainty remains the central issue. While both the council and local ward councillors insist sixth form facilities would not simply vanish without replacement, families are still being asked to consider the possibility that no new Year 12 intake will be admitted at Longcroft for two years.