Adur schools get reprieve

West Sussex County Council has published its plans to close some schools and merge others into primary schools after months of consultations with parents, staff and governors.

The council wants to reorganise schools so pupils go to secondary school aged 11, rather than at 12, and to reduce the number of places because of the district's declining birth rate.

It is believed pupils do better at all-through primary schools, rather than changing at eight, from first to middle school.

All of the proposals look set to go through, apart from plans to close Manor Hall First in Southwick and merge it with nearby Manor Hall Middle to make an all-through primary school. There will be a month's further consultation after governors at the two schools proposed separate infant and junior schools on their existing sites.

Plans to close Fishersgate First School, Freshbrook First School, Lancing, and Kingston Buci First School, Shoreham, still look set to go ahead, with new children's centres built on each of the three sites.

Under the proposals for Lancing and Sompting schools, Freshbrook First will be merged with Thornberry Middle, onto its site in Freshbrook Road, Lancing, while North Lancing First and Middle will be merged into an all-through primary school on the site, as will Willows First and Oakfield Middle, Lancing, onto the Oakfield site in Irene Avenue. Templars First and White Styles Middle, in White Styles Road, Sompting, will also be merged into an all-through primary.

The council says more than 80 per cent its detailed proposals were supported during consultation.

If the proposed changes are approved, they would take effect from the start of the school year in September, 2008.