Hampshire County Council set to consult over planned merger of Pennington Infant School and CofE Junior School

PLANS to merge two New Forest schools amid dwindling pupil numbers have been hailed as a “wonderful opportunity” by teachers and governors.

Local residents are now being urged to have a say over proposals to merge Pennington Infant School and the town’s Church of England Junior School.

Hampshire County Council’s spokesperson for children’s services, Cllr Roz Chadd, is currently considering whether to approve formal consultations on the plan.

An authority spokesperson said the proposal has come about following a “decline” in pupil numbers at both schools.

They continued: “As school funding is directly linked to the number of pupils, this has resulted in significant budget pressures…with associated impacts on long-term stability.

“Merging the two schools would ensure a more resilient financial position, staffing structure and settled pupil numbers.”

If agreed, the merger would mean closing the infant school and extending the age range of the junior school to become a primary, with 30 children in each year group from Reception to Year Six.

The changes would come into effect from January 1 next year.

The proposed merger would remove the current requirement for pupils to move from Year Two in an infant school to Year Three in a new junior school, with claims from the council this would provide “greater stability and continuity” for children as they transition between year groups.

A spokesperson for the schools said: “The proposed merger…is a wonderful opportunity. We have always had a very close working relationship and we are looking forward to becoming one school.

“It will allow us to ensure children have seven years of consistency and continuity with a seamless curriculum from Reception to Year Six.

“Both schools value the close relationships we have with our families and we would look forward to building on these even more as one school.

“The cost benefits are essential in a world where budgets are very stretched and this merger will secure the long-term viability of the school for our community.”

The county council’s proposal to formally consult the public over the merger is supported by the schools’ governors, and follows two informal public consultations held last year to gather initial feedback.

Should the merger be approved, public notices will be published on the county council’s website on Friday, 21 February allowing parents, local residents and others with an interest in the school to give their views on the proposal.

The county council would also write directly to parents and school staff to confirm the details of the consultation.

A similar merger is being proposed for Orchard Lea Infant and Junior Schools in Fareham.

Full details of the recommendations to formally consult on the proposed mergers can be found on the county council’s website.