School closure delayed until December after review

A primary school which was set to close in the summer has had a temporary reprieve following a review.

St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary, in Brighton, faced closure in August over falling pupil numbers and underfunding.

It will now close on 31 December following a decision by the Office for Schools Adjudicator (OSA).

Headteacher Katie Blood told parents the decision gave "the whole school community more time".

The review was prompted by an objection to Brighton & Hove City Council's decision to close the school.

Ms Blood told BBC Sussex: "We're really pleased now that our families have a choice whether to start their new schools in September or January.

"It feels like our concerns have been noticed."

The council has said the decision to close the school was taken due to a combination of demographics and finances.

It said from 2011-2021 there was a 22% drop in children under four living in Brighton.

In March, parents and pupils protested against the planned closure.

Following the OSA review, the council said: "Of the 111 pupils currently on roll at the school, only nine have not been allocated a place at a new school for September and this is because their parents have not yet indicated their preference for an alternative school.

"Suitable places are available locally, no offers of school places have been turned down and we are working with school staff to identify the best option for these nine children."

Ms Blood said: “Lots of things have changed this year and [we’ve had] lots of new experiences, so at least hopefully that will equip us to manage the school in a creative and interesting way in September for those pupils who remain with us.

“We’re confident we’ll have the right amount of people in September to support the school.

“We know that everybody is not going to be ready to move schools at the same time, so at least there’s just a bit of choice for people to do what’s best for them and their family.”

The authority described the decision to close the school as "very difficult" and acknowledged that it had been "a painful process for children, families and staff".

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