Council chiefs back school merger plan - The Evesham Observer

Council chiefs back school merger plan

Evesham Editorial 12th Jun, 2014 Updated: 20th Oct, 2016   0

COUNCIL chiefs have given the green light for two Evesham schools to formally merge later this year.

Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet committee gave the backing to proposals for Evesham High School and Simon De Montfort Middle School to convert into one school during a meeting held on Monday (June 9).

Several more formalities have to go through before the schools can formally go ahead with the merger which is expected to take affect from September.

The plans would see both schools, which first formed a federation partnership five years ago, combine together under a new name.




Both of the school’s existing sites would still be used under the plans, but the Department for Education registration for Simon De Montfort Middle School would close and the registration of Evesham High School changed to cover pupils from Year 6 to Year 13.

Current staff at both schools will not be affected by any changes, nor will the schools admission criteria or catchment areas.


Caroline Browne, who is the headteacher of both schools, told the Observer she was happy the county council’s cabinet approved of the plans.

“I think it is good that the council have recognised the work being done by both schools and the importance for both of the schools to continue to work well together,” she said.

During Monday’s meeting at County Hall, council bosses read out a letter approval from Evesham councillor Bob Banks.

Coun Liz Eyre, responsible for children and families at Worcestershire County Council, then told the committee the merger was a ‘natural’ step for the schools to take after working well together under the federation partnership.

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