Final decision to be made on proposed merger of Leigh Park primary and secondary schools

At her Decision Day on Tuesday, 24 February, Councillor Roz Chadd, Hampshire County Council’s Cabinet Lead Member for Children’s Services, will decide whether to approve the amalgamation, which would create an all-through school for children aged four to 16 from September 2026. It follows a four-week statutory consultation at the end of last year which gathered feedback on the proposal, at the request of the schools’ governing bodies.

The merger with Park Community School, which has been rated by Ofsted as ’Good’ since 2017, has been proposed to provide a range of positive opportunities for the Riders Federation, which has ‘Requires Improvement’ judgements for both the infant and junior schools. Having an all-through school would remove the need for pupils to move between schools at different key stages, providing them with a consistent educational approach from age four to 16 and enabling staff to build and maintain strong engagement with them and their families over this much longer period of time. Staff and pupils would also benefit from a wider range of resources, further strengthening the overall teaching quality and improving children’s outcomes.

While the Riders schools’ budgets are currently stable, they have seen a decline in pupil numbers over several years. As school funding is directly linked to the number of pupils, they could therefore face budget pressures in the future and associated impacts on their long-term stability. An amalgamation with Park Community School would ensure a more financially sustainable and efficient arrangement, while continuing to provide primary education in the local area.

If ultimately agreed, the amalgamation would be achieved by closing the Riders Federation and extending the age range of Park Community School to become an all-through school for children from Reception to Year 11. The new school would operate across both the Riders and Park Community sites, with primary provision remaining on the Riders site. Phoenix Preschool, which currently operates on the Riders site, would remain where it is.

The County Council would work closely with the schools to ensure a smooth transition and that all appropriate training, knowledge and skills are in place to design and deliver an effective curriculum across the newly extended age range. 

Details of the recommendation to merge the schools can be found on the County Council’s website.