We’ve published a statutory notice on the proposed consolidation of Hove Park School onto a single site.
Hove Park School currently operates across two sites – Valley Campus and Nevill Campus. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 are currently educated at Valley Campus, while pupils in Year 9 onwards are based at Nevill Campus.
The council, with the support of the school, is proposing to consolidate all operations onto the Nevill Campus site from September 2028, releasing Valley Campus for disposal.
To address the drop in pupil numbers Hove Park School has already reduced its Published Admission Number (PAN) – the maximum number of students it can take per year – from 300 to 180.
From Monday 13 April to Monday 25 May, we held a public consultation with parents, carers, staff, governors and the wider community on the proposals to discontinue use of the Valley Campus site. We also held 3 public engagement events during the consultation.
The publication of the notice marks the start of a 4-week representation period offering residents a further chance to comment on the proposal to consolidate the school onto a single site from September 2028.
We want to hear from pupils, parents and carers, staff and local residents. Your feedback is vital in helping us understand the potential impacts of the proposal and inform our decision-making process.
The statutory notice period is open until 11.59pm on Monday 6 July.
Of the 108 respondents to the public consultation who answered this question, 63% did not support the proposed change to Hove Park School, 29% were in support of the proposal, and 9 (8%) were not sure.
A number of concerns were raised, including:
Hove Park School is committed to maintaining the quality of education by preserving its distinctive ethos throughout the transition. SEND provision would be replicated and enhanced, and transition support would be available for affected students and families.
Traffic management measures would also be implemented to address transport and safety concerns. Community engagement and transparent communication would be maintained throughout the process.
Following the statutory notice period, any additional feedback will be reviewed and a final decision will be made at the Thursday 16 July Cabinet meeting. If councillors decide to proceed with the proposals, the changes would take effect from 1 September 2028.
No pupils would be required to leave the school as a result of this proposal. All current students would continue their education at Hove Park School on the consolidated Nevill Campus.
Only the Year 7 cohort starting in 2027 would experience a change to their expected progression if the proposals are agreed. These students would move to Nevill Campus in September 2028 (Year 8) instead of the originally planned September 2029 (Year 9).
Several options for future use of Valley Campus are currently being assessed, ranging from full disposal of the site to partial disposal retaining certain land or facilities. Any disposal will be carried out in accordance with the relevant statutory requirements and guidance.
We want to hear your views on proposals to consolidate all of Hove Park School's operations onto the Nevill Campus site from September 2028, releasing Valley Campus for disposal.