News / schools
Primary schools’ amalgamation refused by Department for Education
One of Bristol’s smallest primary schools could now remain open after the Department for Education refused to agree to the plans put forward for its closure and amalgamation with another school.
Hotwells Primary School has consistently been one of the best performing primary schools in our city as well as providing a nurturing environment for pupils due to its small size.
For the last few years, however, Hotwells has been part of the ever-expanding Cathedral Schools Trust, whose bosses had proposed closing the school and amalgamating it with Cathedral Primary School.
This proposal had been almost universally disliked by parents and carers from both schools, with legal action launched over the merger.
And now the advisory board to the regional director of the Department for Education has also shown their displeasure at the proposal.
It means that the amalgamation of the two schools has been thrown into uncertainty after what was expected to be a rubber-stamping exercise by the Department of Education.
Under the now-refused plans, Hotwells was originally due to be closed after the end of this school year, its pupils then becoming part of Cathedral Primary, and the youngest children at the expanded school educated on the historic Hotwells site on Albermarle Row and the oldest children at the Cathedral Primary site in the lower floors of Central Library.
Cathedral School Trust bosses have regularly said that Hotwells is no longer viable as a school due to its small size, but the school community say this is exactly what makes it special and unique.
One fear is that now the amalgamation has been refused, Hotwells could simply be closed by Cathedral School Trust bosses.
A 12-ft warning sign remains from when the entrance to Cathedral Primary School used to be the loading bay for Bristol Central Library – photo: Martin Booth
A Cathedral Schools Trust statement said: “This application was made following a period of extensive consideration and consultation on all the options for the schools.
“The Trust particularly wants to thank all those who have fed into the consultation around this matter and those who took the time to meet with the Trust at consultation meetings.
“The application to make the change to the schools was made, having considered a wide range of possible options, with the ultimate desire to secure the best quality education for children in the centre of the city.
“The Trust Board considered many options prior to the application to the Department for Education and the proposal submitted to the Department was felt to be the most viable option for the future.
“The Trust has been advised, formally, that the application for amalgamation has been declined by the Department for Education.
“The Trust will continue to work closely with the Department for Education, the City Council and other stakeholders in considering what happens next, and it remains committed to ensuring that the children in its care receive the best education possible.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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