Downs Way and St. Mary's Amalgamation (Informal Consultation Stage)

Overview

Surrey County Council, in partnership with Southwark Diocesan Board of Education and the governors of Downs Way Infant School and St Mary's CofE Junior School believe that the best way to provide outstanding education is by merging the two existing schools to become one single primary school catering for all children from ages 4 to 11.

Downs Way School is a two form of entry (2FE) community infant school, accommodating children from Reception (Year R) to Year 2, with overall capacity of 180 places.

St Mary's CofE Junior School is a three form of entry (3FE) voluntary aided junior school, accommodating children from Year 3 to Year 6, with overall capacity of 360 places.

Downs Way has recently expanded from 1.5FE to 2FE.  Since April 2014 the headteacher of St Mary's has been acting as the shared headteacher across both schools.  The success of this arrangement has led to discussions regarding the move to a more formal relationship between the two schools.

The proposal is to amalgamate the two schools into a single institution as well as to expand junior provision from September 2018.  The schools would remain based on the two neighbouring sites.

This would be effected by the following steps:

Close down Downs Way Infant School from 31 August 2018;

Alter the lower age limit of St Mary's CofE Junior School from 7-11 to 4-11, from 1 September 2018;

The newly expanded primary school would operational from 1 September 2018;

The Key Stage 2 provision would be expanded from 3FE to 4FE from 1 September 2018.

A new, amalgamated voluntary aided primary school would be operational from 1 September 2018, accommodating pupils from Year R to Year 6.  The school would have a published admissions number (PAN) of 60 in Reception and an additional PAN of 60 making a roll of 120 per age group in Key Stage 2, giving an overall capacity of 660 places.

The school would expand its Key Stage 2 provision incrementally year on year, eventually reaching full capacity in September 2021.

Surrey County Council, the Diocese of Southwark and the Governing Bodies of St Mary's CofE Junior School and Downs Way School would like to seek your views on this proposal.  The consultation will open on 24 July 2017.

Why your views matter

We are now undertaking a consultation on this proposed amalgamation of Downs Way School and St. Mary's C of E Junior School. The Related Documents below contain the detailed proposal.

Please let us know what you think about the proposals

- either by completing the Online Survey

- or by using the response form in the Related Documents below.

The deadline for returning/submitting consultation responses is midday on Tuesday 4 September 2017.