Parents launch legal action over school merge plan

Hotwells Primary School is run by the Cathedrals Schools Trust

Parents are launching legal action following the proposed merger of two primary schools over concerns it would not be in the best interests of the children.

The Cathedral Schools Trust hopes to merge Hotwells and Cathedral Primary School (CPS) in Bristol, a move it said would "maximise resources" and ensure children would receive the "best education possible".

But with the schools about a mile apart from one another, parents said the logistics would be challenging.

A spokesperson for the trust said they "highly value the views of families" and the move would build "on the already close working relationship between the two schools".

The Department for Education is expected to make a decision on the merger on Wednesday.

Parents were informed of the potential merger and subsequent consultations for the plan in June.

Alastair Cameron, who has children in reception and Year Five at Hotwells Primary School, said none of the consultations had been satisfactory.

Alastair Cameron said the merger plans were "short-sighted"

"There's been a lot of contradictory information, a lot of views given as to why it's happening, it kinds of just feels like this is something that was decided for reasons that aren't entirely clear," he said.

"Kids won't be able to walk to school, it will remove secular provision, brothers and sisters split and it also seems really short-sighted," he added.

Jacqui Manning, who has children in Year Two and Year Four at Hotwells Primary School, said the proposals were "devastating".

Jacqui Manning said Hotwells Primary School was "special"

She said: "We felt that the merger was essentially closing the school. We'd lose everything that made Hotwells, Hotwells.

"[The trust] said that they hoped to accommodate our children in the new school, but even that's not been guaranteed."

"This school is a special place, some kids cannot find an alternative to this school without being taken out and educated at home or completely missing out on their education," she added.

Anthony Lee, who has a child at CPS, said he felt "frustrated, angry and disappointed" at the proposals and the communication with parents.

Anthony Lee said the merger would impact hundreds of families

He said: "No one wants to take legal action, but we don't know how to get the trust to reconsider its approach.

"They haven't planned appropriately for what they're planning to do, so it's very concerning that this would impact hundreds of families," he added.

Although neither of the schools are governed by Bristol City Council, the authority said it wanted to keep small schools open.

Councillor Christine Townsend added the trust "needs to listen" to parents in the community.

A spokesperson for the Cathedral Schools Trust said the proposal was "currently being considered by the Department for Education" in "light of falling pupil numbers in the region".

They said the trust would continue to communicate and collaborate with parents, carers and the wider school community throughout the process.