No merger for Chichester school if it joins academy trust

Once the Covid-19 lockdown is over, the school, in Orchard Gardens, will consult with parents, staff and stakeholders about becoming part of the Diocese of Chichester Academy Trust (DCAT).

The Trust also runs the nearby Central Academy, and the plan is to strengthen the schools’ existing partnership and consider sharing a name, with Lancastrian as an infant school and Central as a junior school.

Lancastrian headteacher Zoe Gordon said: “Following our significant improvement and successful Ofsted in May 2019, the staff and governors at Lancastrian Infant School are seeking a way to secure the future of the school for the pupils and families in the community that it serves.

“As a result, we have explored a number of options, working alongside the local authority to do so.

“Having considered these options, we have decided that we would like to strengthen our partnership with Central CE Academy to ensure smooth transition for the children between the two schools and to develop further the good working relationship that already exists between us in order to capitalise on shared good practice and resources.

“We are therefore, consulting to become a DCAT academy.”

Despite the possibility of a shared name, Darren Carpenter, DCAT’s chief operating officer, insisted the schools would not be merging.

The schools sit on adjacent sites – with Central in neighbouring Orchard Street – and Mr Carpenter said the majority of those leaving the infant school at the end of Year 2 moved on to Central.

He added: “The schools have increasingly worked together and a significant element of the proposal will be to aid the process of transition between Key Stage 1 and 2 for the benefit of the pupils, and allow the two schools to continue to work closely together in partnership with the Trust’s local schools, including The March CE Primary School in the city.”

Mr Carpenter said there were no plans to close or modify either site.

Mrs Gordon added: “We have informed parents of this intention but we do not expect the consultation process to begin formally until the pupils return following the partial closure due to Covid 19.”

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