Worthing school staff 'worried about redundancies' as part of plans to cut number of places

With some 1,500 school spaces – around 17 per cent of the area’s total – not being used, West Sussex County Council has launched a consultation into proposals to cut almost 1,000 of them.

During a meeting of the full council, John Turley (Lab, Worthing Pier) said staff were ‘worried about redundancies’.

He asked Nigel Jupp, cabinet member for learning and skills, what support plan was in place to prevent staff losses and help schools to manage the process.

Mr Jupp said there may well be implications for staffing levels, adding: “I’m sure that our officers here will give all the support that is necessary as will the schools themselves to those staff that may be affected.”

When it came to the consultation itself, Labour leader Caroline Baxter had questions about the timing – namely why a large part of it was running throughout the Christmas and New Year break.

Asking for a two-week extension to the consultation, she told the meeting that she had been contacted by schools who felt the closing date of January 20 did not give them enough time.

She said: “Why was Christmas term chosen for a consultation of this size?

“Potentially there’s a huge impact and closure of schools as a result of a possible merger.

“It seems to me like a lack of due care and attention to our staff, teachers and governors.

“They absolutely do not have the time to consult and plan or have enough time to feed back with staff and parents who are considerably worried about the potential options.”

Mr Jupp refuted the idea that the council had not proceeded ‘with all due care’.

He told the meeting that headteachers and the chairs of the school governing bodies had met with council officers and the Director of Education to discuss the proposals.

He added: “It is necessary for this consultation to be concluded by the end of January in order for the various statutory arrangements to be in place so any conclusions can become operative by September 2024.”

Looking at the reasons for the review, Mr Jupp said so many empty places would have ‘implications on the sustainability of those primary schools’.