Two Hove primary schools to merge

Two neighbouring schools in Hove are planning to merge to form a single primary school.

Somerhill Junior School and Davigdor Infant School, both in Somerhill Road, Hove, are consulting parents, staff and others about becoming a single entity.

The news comes days after Ofsted published a report rating Somerhill as good – an improvement on its previous report.

The independent schools watchdog also said that the leadership and management of the school was outstanding – as was the behaviour and safety of pupils.

Outstanding is the best of the four judgments made by Oftsed inspectors, with good being the next best.

They said that Somerhill was a good school, adding

• Somerhill is a happy, exciting and nurturing school of which pupils, staff, governors and parents and carers are rightly very proud.
• The headteacher provides outstanding leadership for the school. He has created an exceptionally strong staff team that shares the commitment and determination to provide the best possible learning and experiences for the pupils.
• Leadership and management at all levels are outstanding. Actions taken have improved the school since the last inspection when it required improvement. Achievement and teaching are now good. This demonstrates that the school has the capacity to improve further.
• From their starting points, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Overall standards are above average by the time pupils leave at the end of year 6.
• Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. Teachers have high expectations and a shared, clear sense of purpose to ensure that pupils enjoy learning.
• Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. They have excellent attitudes to learning and really enjoy coming to school. They feel safe and secure and are well looked after.
• Pupils are confident, respectful of each other and adults. They show great understanding, tolerance and acceptance of diversity within the school and beyond.
• The governing body knows the school very well and is active in ensuring that the school continues to improve. The governors provide very effective support and challenge for school leaders.

The inspectors also said that Somerhill was not yet an outstanding school because

• Achievement in writing, although improving, is not yet as good as it is in reading and mathematics.
• Teaching is not yet typically outstanding. The very best practice is not evident in every class to ensure that pupils make more rapid progress.

The inspection took place early last month and the report was published on Friday (9 January).

To read the report, click here.

Davigdor was found to be an outstanding school when it was last inspected in July 2008 – a view that was reiterated when an interim assessment took place in 2011.

Hangleton Infant School and Hangleton Junior School merged last year.

Brighton and Hove City Council encourages similar mergers when a head teacher leaves, creating primary schools that save taxpayers’ money, not least by having one head teacher instead of two.