Rushden schools merger plans up for discussion by councillors with 'strong views' expected over potential site

A consultation that could see two Rushden community schools merge may start as early as next month if proposals in front of North Northants Council' s executive committee are approved.

Governors at both Alfred Street Junior School and Tennyson Road Infant School have requested that the Department for Education 'amalgamation' process begins.

In the paper prepared for discussion at the executive meeting of NNC on Tuesday (February 22) the committee has been warned that there are 'strong views' regarding the potential site of a new school adding that an 'open and transparent' consultation should be conducted to gather the views of all interested parties.

The consultation will open to all statutory consultees including the governing bodies, pupils, teachers and all school staff, trade union’s with members at the schools, and other staff, pupils, parents of pupils, governing bodies, of schools that may be affected by the proposal.

Included in the consultation will also be Peter Bone MP, North Northants Council (NNC) ward councillors, Rushden and Higham Ferrers Town councils and 'all other interested stakeholders'.

Both schools, located in Rushden on separate sites 0.7 miles apart, have been hit by falling rolls. Last year Alfred Street Junior being identified as a 'stuck school' which has been in Ofsted's third category 'requires improvement' for 15 years. The school for seven to eleven-year-olds currently has 114 pupils with a capacity of 240.

Tennyson Road Infant School in Highfield Road opened in February 1938, takes children from three to seven-years of age with 79 pupils out of a capacity of 90.

Councillors will be told that the proposal to merge the school will tackle the 'structural' and 'operational' challenges faced by each school.

The report says: "Both schools are currently experiencing a number of challenges that relate to a falling school roll, financial issues arising from the falling roll, staff retention and high levels of pupil mobility. The amalgamation proposal aims to address all of these issues for the benefit of current and future pupils of the schools... this proposal can be considered to have a positive impact upon the children of primary school age.

"Should the proposal progress it is likely that the two schools would co-locate onto one site, which could result in a longer journey to school for some current pupils. However, NNC would seek to mitigate against any perceived detriment in this respect by letting the consultation inform which school site would be used as a location for the amalgamated school."

Both governing bodies at each school support a consultation on the proposed amalgamation of the two schools to create a new all-through primary school - including a reduction of the pupil admission numbers. It is thought that without a reduction in pupil admissions it would not be possible to locate the new school at either of the existing school sites.

It has been estimated that the financial benefits of the merger would be 'significant' as the senior roles within an amalgamated school would save money.

Schools finance officers have estimated that £264,358 would be saved in its first two years of operation and £90,814 each year afterwards. Currently, Alfred Street Junior School is running a deficit.

The 'informal period of consultation' can be conducted for a minimum of six weeks (exclusive of school holiday periods), followed by a further statutory period of consultation of four weeks.

Should the executive committee approve the beginning of consultation, the initial period would begin on Monday, March 7, and finish on Friday, April 29.

A full summary of all the feedback received during the initial period of consultation will be presented to NNC’s executive committee prior to the meeting of April 14.

In 2010, a report commissioned by East Northants Council discussing the regeneration of the eastern part of the town centre identified the historic nature of Alfred Street Junior School built in 1872.

One of the cornerstones of a new look Rushden town centre was identified to include a new role for the Alfred Street school at the heart of the community. More than 100 people attended a public workshop regarding the possible future of the school.

A memorial to the seven school children killed in a bombing raid in October 1940 remains an important part of Rushden heritage.

There are currently six other primary schools in Rushden - Denfield Park Primary, South End Infant and South End Junior School, Rushden Primary Academy, Newton Road School. and Whitefriars Primary School.