FAQs

No. The Children, Young People and Education Committee has agreed that a consultation should take place on the proposal to close Millfields CE Primary School. This is not a decision to close the school.

The purpose of the consultation is to give parents, carers, pupils, staff, residents and other interested parties the opportunity to consider the proposal and share their views before any further decision is made. 

The proposal follows a detailed review of the school's educational, financial and organisational position and its long-term sustainability.

The school currently has 21 pupils on roll, despite having capacity for more than 210, and only three pupils joined Reception in September 2026. The school is also operating with a significant financial deficit.  A range of alternatives has been considered before consultation was recommended. 

No. The proposal to consult was not produced as a result of the Ofsted judgement. It follows a wider review of the school's educational, financial and organisational sustainability.

The school's educational position is, however, one of the factors being considered alongside the other evidence. 

A number of alternatives have been explored, including federation and amalgamation with another school.

A federation would still require significant financial support over several years, without any certainty that pupil numbers would increase. No suitable opportunity to amalgamate Millfields with another local school has been identified either, particularly because Millfields is a Church of England school.

This option has been considered. However, given the school’s current financial position and low pupil numbers, academisation has not been identified as a sustainable alternative to the proposal being consulted on

The Council has previously provided additional support to the school, including funding temporary teaching resources up to July 2026. However, the school's financial projections indicate that this level of support would not provide a sustainable long-term solution.

Yes. The school remains open and pupils should continue to attend as normal. The education and wellbeing of pupils remain the priority throughout the consultation process.

No decision has been made to close the school.

If a future decision resulted in closure, supporting pupils to move to alternative schools and ensuring continuity of their education would be a key part of the process. The Council has committed to supporting high-quality transition arrangements for pupils. 

The needs of pupils with SEND and additional needs will be considered as part of the consultation and any subsequent planning.

No decision has been made to close the school. If closure were approved at a later stage, the transport implications for pupils would need to be considered as part of the transition arrangements. Further information would be provided to affected families at that stage.

Yes. As well as being able to respond through the consultation, there will be opportunities for parents and carers to discuss the proposal and ask questions at face-to-face sessions. Details of these sessions will be published as part of the consultation information.

Yes. The consultation is an opportunity to provide views and evidence, including alternative options that you believe should be considered before any further decision is made.

All representations received through the Stage 1 consultation will be considered. At the end of Stage 1, the Director of Children, Families and Education, in consultation with the Chair and Spokespersons of the Committee, will determine whether to proceed with a statutory proposal to close the school.

Once the consultation has closed, responses will be considered before a decision is made about whether to proceed to the next stage.

If it is decided to proceed, a formal statutory proposal would be published, followed by a representation period during which objections and comments could be submitted. A further report would then come back to the Children, Young People and Education Committee to consider whether or not the school should close.

No decision has been taken to close the school and therefore the consultation itself does not determine the future employment of staff.

No decision has been taken to close the school and therefore no decision has been made about the future use of the site.

No changes to catchment arrangements are being made as part of the decision to consult. If proposals progress following consultation, information about any implications for future school admissions and catchment arrangements will be provided.

Parents and carers should continue to follow the normal school admissions process. If the proposal progresses and there are implications for future applications to Millfields, further information will be provided as early as possible.

The consultation is the first stage of the statutory process. At the end of consultation, responses will be considered before a decision is made about whether to proceed to the next stage.

If the proposal progresses, this would involve publication of a formal statutory proposal and a four-week representation period before a final decision is taken. 

Parents and carers with concerns about their child's wellbeing should speak to the school in the usual way so that appropriate support can be considered.

Yes. You do not have to agree with the proposal to take part. The consultation is an opportunity to explain whether you support or oppose it, the reasons for your view, any impact you believe should be considered and any alternative options you think should be explored.