Suffolk: DfE announces last middle schools will close in 2023

Westley Middle School will close but the site will house Years 7 and 8 under the jurisdiction of County Upper School

The last of a county's middle schools are to close in 2023.

The Department for Education (DfE) has approved the reorganisation of four schools in Bury St Edmunds, in Suffolk, which include closing Horringer Court Middle and Westley Middle.

Unity Schools Partnership's proposals for the change also include Tollgate Primary and County Upper schools.

Chief executive Tim Coulson said they would work to make sure "disruption is minimised".

Suffolk County Council voted to replace its three-tier schooling system in 2007.

Since then, the system, whereby middle schools provide education for children between Years 5 and 8, has gradually changed to a two-tier system of primary and secondary schools (reception to Year 6, and Year 7 to Year 11).

Following the DfE's approval, the academy partnership said children in Year 4 will stay at their primary schools this year and not move to either middle school, both of which will shut in August 2023.

After that, County Upper School will take responsibility for the education of Years 7 and 8, based at the Westley site, and Tollgate Primary School will extend to include Year 5 from September 2022 and Year 6 from September 2023.

Horringer Court Middle School will close in August 2023 along with Westley Middle School

Chief executive Tim Coulson, said: "We will now work with each school community to ensure that disruption is minimised and plans are followed to create a school system in Bury St Edmunds that further benefits the children of the town and surrounding area."

The partnership published its proposals in January, after which there was a public consultation period, where it met with staff, parents and held public meetings and groups that put forward alternative proposals.

It said it amended its proposals before submitting them to the DfE.