Proceeding to the next stage of proposed Middle Street Primary School closure

At the Cabinet meeting on Thursday 19 March, councillors agreed to publish a statutory notice on the proposal to close Middle Street Primary School in August 2026.

In June 2025, the council appointed an Interim Executive Board to address governance and financial challenges at the school

In January 2026, the board concluded that they believed that Middle Street Primary School does not have a viable future due to the challenges it faces and therefore recommended that it should close at the end of the current academic year.

We held a consultation on the school’s proposed closure between Friday 26 January to Monday 9 March following this recommendation.

Statutory notice

The statutory notice will be published from Wednesday 8 April to Tuesday 5 May. The 4-week representation period offers parents, carers, staff and other interested parties another opportunity to comment on the proposal to close Middle Street Primary School.

Your feedback will help us understand the potential impacts of the proposal and inform our decision-making process.

Consultation 

When a local authority proposes to close a school, it must carry out a period of statutory consultation followed by a statutory notice representation period.

During the consultation, we received 128 survey responses and 2 email submissions from parents, carers, former pupils and community members. Three public meetings took place on 10 and 25 February and 4 March, alongside a meeting with staff on 26 February. 

The majority of respondents opposed the proposed closure, citing the school's long history, its inclusive and non-faith ethos, and its importance as the only community primary school in central Brighton. 

A minority of respondents expressed support for closure, acknowledging the school's financial position and the need to ensure sustainability across the city's schools.

Next steps

After the representation period, councillors will be asked to make a final decision on the proposal to close Middle Street Primary School at the Full Council meeting on 21 May. 

The school will remain open for the remainder of the current academic year and will continue to provide high quality education to all pupils. If the closure is agreed, a transition process will be set up to assist pupils and families in moving to new schools.

Middle Street Primary School currently has 71 pupils on roll. Our analysis shows that there is sufficient capacity across the city's schools to accommodate all of these pupils if the school closes. 

We will also be holding an independent review of lessons learnt seeking to address any concerns raised by parents and carers.