Plans to merge two primary schools in North Yorkshire are aimed at improving teaching for hundreds of children to help to give them the best start to their education.
The proposals to create a single school for children aged three to 11 in Catterick Garrison have been recommended for approval.
Members of our executive will meet on Tuesday next week (22 August) to discuss proposals to combine Wavell Community Junior School and Wavell Community Infant School to form one single school from April next year.
Both schools currently serve the same catchment area in the north of Catterick Garrison and the infant and junior schools have neighbouring buildings on one site.
Wavell Federation’s governors have agreed that amalgamating the schools to create an all-through primary school is the next logical step to take.
With a capacity of 420 places, the single primary school would continue to work across the existing buildings for both current schools.
A six-week consultation carried out earlier in the summer outlined how the proposal would provide greater stability and ensure the amalgamated school can maintain the best possible environment in which pupils can learn and fulfil their potential.
A public meeting was held during the consultation period and a significant majority of respondents supported the proposal.
Executive member for education, learning and skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said: “The amalgamation will bring together the identities and strengths of both schools, enabling them to make the best use of the staff expertise.
“We, as a council, are keen to provide greater stability and the amalgamated school would not only deliver a smoother transition between Key Stages, but it would also help to ensure that the good progress currently made by children is maintained.”
If the proposals are given the go-ahead by the Executive, statutory notices would be published which will provide the opportunity for representations to be made over a four-week period up until 9 October.
A final decision is then due to be taken by our Executive on Tuesday, 17 October. If agreed, the schools would amalgamate from April 8 next year.
The newly amalgamated school would be called Wavell Community Primary School.