27/03/2014 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

there's a first look at the papers over on the BBC News Channel, but

are calls for an inquiry as 90 pupils face having their edtcation

disrupted following the announcement that a secondary school in Hull is

closing. Hull Studio School, which opened less than two years `go, was

designed to focus on business and enterprise. But there aren't enough

students to make it viable. Caroline Bilton reports.

For some students this opportunity is really exciting. When it opened

it was a pioneer, just one of seven colleges in the UK to offer a new

type of education. But in ldss than two years it's closing, leaving the

future of some of its 90 sttdents hanging in the balance.

I had to check the date on the calendar because I honestly thought

it was an April Fool's joke. This parent wanted to remain

anonymous to protect her chhld's future education.

We'd had no warning at all from the school or any of the authorhties.

Nothing. We were totally in the dark. We don't know what's going on.

A studio school day won't bd a nine our child is going to be.

A studio school day won't bd a nine to three experience. It's sponsored

by Hull College but what is a studio school? It was a new concept in

education that started back in 010. They're a type of academy ddsigned

for pupils aged between 14 `nd 9. And they offer practical skhlls in

the workplace as well as tr`ditional academic and vocational studies

In a statement the trust th`t runs the School says that the closure is

down to increased competition across the city. That in turn has leant

they have struggled to recrtit the number of pupils necessary to secure

its viability. They say thex'll work with pupils to help them find an

appropriate destination to continue their learning.

The Department for Education gave ?170,000 to the Trust when the

school was set up. Some belheve an inquiry should take place. Hn my

knowledge this is completelx unprecedented. It's extraordinary,

in fact. How could you posshbly open a school, spend a lot of money on it

and have it closed within 18 months. You can hardly make it up, ht is

quite extraordinary. I think it has national implications. We do need to

get to the bottom of this. It aimed to teach them about the

world of work. For students here they're getting a taste of the

reality a little earlier th`n they would have liked.

No`one from Hull Studio School, its sponsors or the Department of

Education was available for comment. Earlier I spoke to Adrian Joyce from

the teaching union the NASUWT and asked him whether there really was a

lack demand for such a vocational school.

This particular case, it sedms there is a lack of demand and

unfortunately there should be lots of pupils, especially with the

Siemens and the wind power coming to Hull, there should be lots of pupils

wanting a vocational career, a vocational pathway but for some

reason they're just not attdnding. Before the studio school opdned the

Department of Education said that following a consultation thdre was a

huge appetite for it. What's gone wrong in the past 18 months? There

is a huge demand for educathon that is vocational because many students

are fed up with education that is weighing their intellect, wdighing

their ability and effort and they need a vocational course. Wd would

have thought this would havd been a successful route for them. Xet it

hasn't been successful, has it? No, nobody really knows why and it's

such a shame when you have students in Hull who could be doing good

things. It does seem perhaps a complete waste of ?170,000 that the

Department of Education contributed to the cost of this school. That

could be money spent elsewhdre. Exactly, that's one of the concerns

that unions have and the NASUWT are concerned about free schools and

studio schools where money hs taken away from the community schools and

students are taken away out of community schools and there isn t

the accountability. It's cldar this was a new way of educating

youngsters with a focus on business and enterprise. Do you think more

could have been done to support the school? It's an interesting

question. The studio school approach has allegedly been tried in Germany

and has been successful. We like to look at other countries and see what

ideas they have but for somd reason here in Hull it has not been

successful, which is a shamd, because there are people losing jobs

and there are students whosd dreams and hopes are going to be thwarted.

Adrian Joyce from the teachhng Union the NASUWT speaking to me e`rlier

Both Humberside and Lincolnshire Police need to make improvelents to

the way they handle domestic abuse. That's according to a new rdport

which says Humberside Policd has a fragmented and inconsistent approach

to dealing with cases. Lincolnshire's force was described

as being generally effectivd, but improvements are still needdd to

keep victims safe. After just than six months, flights

from Humberside Airport to Copenhagen are being scrappdd. When

it was launched, those involved believed one of the key are`s of

trade would be the renewablds sector. But Scandinavian Airlines

has blamed disappointing passenger numbers, as Emma Massey reports

Business as usual for KLM and Eastern Airways but the third major

airline to operate out of Htmberside Airport, Scandinavian Airlines, has

said today it's cancelling hts service. We are very disappointed

that Scandinavian Airlines have decided to cancel the route but

there are other opportunitids and we are really, really clear th`t with

KLM and with Eastern and other airlines that are looking to operate

from the region, now is a rdally exciting time for our airport and

for the region itself. When operations began in October last

year the deal was seen as a vote of confidence in the local economy

Denmark has pioneered the use of renewable energy which is expanding

across the Humber region with business links ever more important.

Scandinavian Airlines has s`id that passenger demand for the rotte was

not as high as anticipated which made it unsustainable to continue

flying from Humberside Airport. The route began at the end of October

last year. It's a five times a week service using a 50`seat aircraft.

Since it began there has bedn 1 cancellations due to weather and

technical issues. It will h`ve a major knock`on effect. A lot of

people rely on airlines these days, to and from work, to and from

holidays, you know. Personally, I'd hope this airport would grow as

opposed to potential cutbacks, so it's extremely disappointing.

With other airline operators using this airport successfully it's hoped

that Scandinavian Airlines will return at some point in the future.

It has been a bit wet today. Let's get a look at the weather now,

here's Paull Hudson with thd forecast. Hello good evening, well a

very unsettled night to comd with showery outbreaks of locallx very

heavy rain moving up from the south east, even the odd clap of thunder

but a bit of a clearance coling into most areas by dawn tomorrow. Lowest

temperatures down to five or six degrees. For Friday a mostlx cloudy

day and through the morning there is a risk of further patchy outbreaks

of rain in places but the afternoon should be dry just about evdrywhere

and possibly a bit brighter, always a lot of cloud. A keen eastdrly

wind, top temperatures eight or nine in the north, perhaps doubld figures

further south. That's the forecast. That's all from the late te`m. Look

North is back tomorrow mornhng at 6.25, I hope you can join us then.

Bye for now. Hello, as winter becomes spring the

atmosphere contains more energy The shower clouds grow taller. If

conditions are right, you get thunder storms. There have been some

today. Bob took this picture near London this afternoon. The spring

flowers will appreciate the re turn return of warmth. Until then big

showers to come, pushing in across south-west England - some hail and

thunder. Sleet and snow on to the top of the moors.

From Norfolk to coastal England into Northern Ireland. Elsewhere, one or

two showers around. Where you are clear for a time, you will see a

touch of frost here and there. Patchy mist and fog all in the mix

as Friday begins. From the word go, we are dodging downpours in

south-west England, increasingly so into Wales as well. Hail and thunder

with these. The day is starting starting largely dry weather. Still

this area of cloud and outbreaks of rain. Some heavy across