Consultation on the amalgamation of Peel Common Infant School and Nursery Unit and Peel Common Junior School, Rowner

This consultation will run from the 15 November to 15 December 2023.

A drop-in session will be held at each school as detailed below. At these sessions, you will have an opportunity to discuss the proposals with the Headteacher, governors and Hampshire County Council officers. Please see the table below for dates of the drop-in sessions:

Officers will take into consideration all the consultation responses received before deciding whether the proposal should continue to the formal publication stage.

Background

The governing bodies of both Peel Common Infant School and Nursery Unit and Peel Common Junior School have contacted Hampshire County Council to discuss opportunities for both schools to work closer together following discussions over recent months regarding low pupil numbers and concerns over the financial positions of both schools.

The pupil forecasts indicate that there is a reduced demand for places in the locality compared with recent years. This has led to budget issues at both schools, creating significant difficulties with budget recovery and on-going viability. Indeed, the published admission number has already been reduced to 30 at the infant and 33 at the junior (to reflect offers made to year 3) for 2023 and we are seeking ratification of this for future years.

In view of this, the Governing bodies and Hampshire County Council feel the best way forward is to re-organise the schools into a single primary school. The proposed amalgamation to form a 1 form of entry (1FE), or 30 places per year group, primary school presents a better opportunity to secure an improved budget position with a more settled pupil number intake and organisational structure.

This approach would result in one governing body overseeing the new school, rather than separate Infant and Junior governing bodies as currently exists. There are many advantages to bringing Peel Common Infant School and Nursery Unit and Peel Common Junior School together, some of which are listed below:

• Greater continuity in planning the curriculum across the key stages of education so that pupils make the best possible progress in learning
• A consistent approach to the ways in which children are taught
• Enhance teachers’ professional development through increased opportunities to teach across a wider age range within the same school
• Removes the need for separate admission and transfer at the end of key stage 1 (infant to junior transfer)
• Parents are able to develop a longer-term relationship with the school
• Gives children the opportunity to work with or alongside younger or older pupils allowing them to put their own learning in context and develop important social skills

A decision will be reached in due course as to which school is utilised to provide the accommodation for pupils, but it is likely, due to the overall site layout, that the junior building will be used to provide the nursery and primary school facilities. Building feasibility work will be undertaken once we know the outcome of the consultation and final decision. In the interim both buildings will be used.

The Governing Bodies of Peel Common Infant School and Nursery Unit and Peel Common Junior School have requested that Hampshire County Council consult with the schools’ community and other interested parties on the possibility of both schools becoming a primary school.

The proposal

In order for both Peel Common Infant School and Nursery Unit and Peel Common Junior School to work together and operate as one primary school, there is a statutory process which needs to be followed.

Hampshire County Council is therefore proposing to amalgamate Peel Common Infant School and Nursery Unit and Peel Common Junior School, through the closure of Peel Common Infant School and Nursery Unit and extension of the age range of Peel Common Junior School to become a Primary School with a Nursery Unit (3 – 11 years). Upon the implementation of this potential proposal, the school will continue to offer 30 places for Year R (age 4+). If agreed, it is anticipated that this proposed change would take effective on the 1 January 2025.

Further Information

Consultation - we want to hear your views

We would like to hear your views on this proposal. We are therefore consulting with you and other interested parties over the coming weeks.

If the decision to proceed is made, a report will be taken to a future Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services Decision Day seeking approval for a statutory Public Notice to be published. This will set out Hampshire County Council’s intent to close Peel Common Infant School and Nursery Unit and change the age range of Peel Common Junior School. It is anticipated that the Public Notice will be published in March 2024.

After the date of publication, there will be a four-week period in which any representations can be made. After the conclusion of this period, the County Council will decide whether or not to proceed with the proposal.

Further information

If you are unable to attend any of the sessions detailed in this letter and wish to make a comment, please write to Glenn Parkinson, Strategic Development Officer, Children’s Services Department, EII Court North, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8UG or e-mail [email protected] before the 15 December 2023.