Decision details

To ask the Cabinet Member to approve the statutory proposal published by Salisbury Diocesan Board of Education and the governing bodies of St Mary’s CEVC Infant School and St Peter’s CEVC Junior School on 26 February 2016. The amended notice seeks to de-couple the previous linked notice whereby the new school formed by amalgamation of the Infant and Junior schools would operate from the proposed new building from 1 September 2016. The amended notice proposes that the two schools will continue to amalgamate to form the Marlborough St. Mary’s CEVC Primary School with effect from 1 September 2016 but will operate from the two existing separate sites for a year, until the new building is constructed and ready for occupation. The new Marlborough St. Mary’s CEVC Primary School will then relocate to the planned new building at George Lane, Marlborough, Wiltshire, with effect from 1September 2017.

Following consultation with officers, I have made the decision as set out in the attached report. 

This decision was published on 4 April 2016 and will come into force on 12 April 2016.

Whilst this delay is unfortunate, it provides the opportunity for the two schools to amalgamate to form the single primary school one full academic year before the new building opens. If agreed, this will mean that the single primary school will open as originally planned, in September 2016 but will operate for a year on the two original sites, allowing the new governance, leadership and teaching structures to establish themselves before the physical move into the new building.

At the time of the original consultation and statutory notice the construction of the new school had a target completion of September 2016. However, this has been delayed for a variety of reasons and now completion of the new school building is expected in time for the new school year in September 2017. In light of this programme change a further period of consultation and publication of an amended statutory notice were required as the original decision linked the timing of the amalgamation with the opening of a new school building.

A further period of statutory consultation in January and February 2016 preceded the publication of the amended statutory proposals on 26 February 2016. The Public Notice period of four weeks ended on 25March 2016.