North Northamptonshire Council considers amalgamating two schools

North Northamptonshire Council said the age range for Alfred Street Junior School would be expanded

An education authority is considering merging two schools to address "financial and operational challenges".

North Northamptonshire Council has asked people for their views on the amalgamation of Tennyson Road Infants and Alfred Street Juniors in Rushden.

The authority said it would expand the age range of Alfred Street Junior School to provide education for children aged three to 11.

A formal consultation is open until 2 October.

"For the amalgamation to progress, one of the schools has to 'technically' close - in this case by the formal closure of Tennyson Road Infant School," the council said.

"This is purely a 'technical' closure and does not prejudge that there will be a change of site, name, staffing or any other aspect of the new school, which will be the subject of a further consultation and decision-making process."

Tennyson Road Junior School is about half a mile away from Alfred Street Junior School

A steering group, which includes governors from both schools, recommended that the amalgamation went ahead.

"It is the view of the Steering Group that this decision will lead to the development of a stronger, sustainable school that will be best placed to meet the needs of children, parents/carers and the wider community into the future," the council said.

The authority said it was approached by the governing bodies of both schools and asked to support the amalgamation "to address several financial and operational challenges".

Conservative councillor Scott Edwards, executive member for children, families, education and skills, said: "Supporting children in their education is very important to us and it's important that as many people as possible have their say to make sure that everyone has had their view and all sides of the issue have been fully explored."

The government's Ofsted school inspectors' last review rated Tennyson Road, which has capacity for 90 pupils, as "requires improvement", while Alfred Street had the same rating, and currently has capacity for 240 children.