Merger proposal for Hangleton infant and junior schools

An infant school and a junior school in Hove could merge to become an ‘all-through’ primary school for children aged 4-11.

Hangleton Infant School and Hangleton Junior School are in adjacent buildings on the same site on Dale View, and already work very closely together.

The move to consider amalgamating the two schools has the support of both governing bodies. It has been triggered by the announcement that the head of the junior school is leaving to take up another headship elsewhere.

Brighton & Hove City Council has a policy of consulting on mergers of linked infant and junior schools whenever one of the heads leaves.

The chair of the council’s children and young people committee, Councillor Sue Shanks, said: “There are very good educational and organisational reasons for merging linked infant and junior schools where circumstances permit.

“Both schools are already offering an excellent education to children in their local communities and I think a merger could make then even better.”

Consultation on the plan has seen 164 responses in favour of merging the schools and five responses against.

The council’s children and young people committee on July 21 is being recommended to approve the publishing of the appropriate statutory notice at the beginning of September.

A further meeting in October would consider the responses to this notice before making a final decision.