Parents 'respect' head's decision to leave school

Parents have said they do not blame a headteacher and his staff for deciding to leave a primary school amid uncertainty about its future.

Queensway Primary School in Yeadon was due to shut at the end of the school year but the plan was paused after parents launched a legal challenge over the council's decision.

Headteacher Mark Duce, who will not return in September, said because of the lack of clarity over the school's future he and other teachers had taken the "incredibly hard decision" to find new jobs.

Vicky Lancaster, whose children attended Queensway, said: "The work Mark has done has been amazing, and everybody in that school, we all respect him and just want the best for him."

The school, which had already fought off closure in 2023, was due to shut at the end of the summer term due to dwindling pupil numbers and financial pressures.

However, specialist education lawyers for Irwin Mitchell successfully challenged the authority's decision based on "significant flaws in the consultation process".

Since then, parents and staff said they had been left in limbo over its future while Leeds City Council was working on a report on options for its future.

Ms Lancaster said: "I have the utmost respect for all the teachers, and Mark especially, and I understand they've had to do what's right for them."

The 40-year-old said she had already moved her son and daughter to another school.

"I felt very disloyal doing this but the council has given us no indication what's going to happen, so because of this I decided it was time for them to leave."

She said the school community could "hold their heads up high" at what they had achieved.

Another parent, Rick Ansell, said parents and teachers had been "backed into a corner where they're forced to choose between paying the mortgage, or staying and praying the school survives".

Mr Duce, who has been Queensway's head for four years, said he had "so much guilt" about his decision to leave but had reached a point where the school's future was out of his control.

"There's so much guilt because we do not want to leave this wonderful school behind.

"But from a human and personal point of view, it's got to the point where the lack of clarity and the uncertainty continuing going forwards, I've had to make that decision to look elsewhere."

He said the board of governors were working hard to find a replacement head and new teachers, but that he would not leave the school in a "weakened position".

Leeds City Council said a report on the school was expected to be presented to the council's executive board in July.

A spokesperson said: "As a foundation school, it is the governing body which is responsible for employment matters at the school, including the recruitment and retention of teaching staff.

"The council continues to seek to provide support and advice to the school and is actively engaged with the head and governing body to ensure the school is appropriately staffed for September 2025."

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