Brighton parents to protest against planned school closures

St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School in Ann Street, Brighton, and St Peter’s Community Primary and Nursery School in Portslade are set to be closed, with councillors to determine the fate of both schools at a meeting of the children, families and schools committee.

However, parents have been angered by the plans, especially after more than 80 per cent of respondents to a consultation expressed strong disagreement at the proposals to close both schools.

Emily Brewer, one of the parents affected by the closure, said: “Labour campaigned and won on ‘keeping schools open’ and ‘increasing pre-school provision’.

“It is frustrating that, despite 85 per cent of people strongly objecting against the St Peter’s proposal, they still want to move forward.

“They say it’s about numbers, but the report issued shows a 70 per cent increase in demand in just over a year at our nursery school.

“How can you pledge to increase provision and try to shut a popular nursery school that has seen a surge in demand? It makes no sense.”

Parents will protest outside Hove Town Hall ahead of a council meeting deciding the fate of the two schools (Image: The Argus)

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Councillor Jacob Taylor, deputy leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said that the council had “no choice but to take action” to ensure schools across the city are properly funded amid a “severe problem with pupil numbers and funding”.

He said: “The last thing any council wants to do is propose the closure of a school in their area. We have heard from hundreds of parents, staff and pupils about their fears over the school closure and the love and affection they hold for St Peter’s and St Bartholomew’s.

“However, our city has such a severe problem with pupil numbers and school funding, that we have no choice but to take action that will help ensure schools are properly funded and children get the education they deserve.

“What came out very strongly in the consultation process for St Peter’s was concern about whether pupils will receive the same support that they do at their current school and that the transition process would be disruptive.

“As a result, we have allocated more staff to manage the transition and councillors have demanded that all impacted families get the support they need to move to a new school where they will thrive. This will be provided should the committee approve the closure.

“We are a listening council, but on this issue sadly we are between a rock and a hard place - the rock being central government and the hard place being the dramatic drop in pupil numbers.”

The protest will take place outside Hove Town Hall on Monday, January 22 from 3pm, ahead of the meeting of the children, families and schools committee at 4pm.