Parents have backed plans to move an infant school on to the same site as the linked junior school.
More than 100 people responded to Brighton and Hove City Council’s consultation on moving those at West Hove Infant School’s Connaught Road site to Holland Road.
Most of those who responded (67 per cent) were parents affected by the proposal to move the infants to the Hove Junior School site.
And 76 per cent backed with the plan, which is due to be considered by Brighton and Hove City Council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee next Monday (8 November).
A report to the committee said that responses included: “We have two children, one at Connaught Road and one at Holland Road, so the school runs will be much easier and less stressful.”
Another said: “It will be more practical I think for everyone to have these two schools in one place.”
Negative responses reflected feedback given by 29 attendees at six public meetings held in late September and early last month.
Parents raised concerns about the mid-year move and expressed disappointment that their children would not attend the site that they had chosen after going to open days.
The report said: “It is recognised that moving pupils mid-year may not seem an ideal time.
“The reason behind moving so swiftly is the budget position of the infant school.
“The longer they stay on the Connaught Road site, the larger the budget deficit is likely to be and the longer it will take the school to restore a balanced budget.
“The school believe that they can implement the change mid-academic year without there being any negative impact on the pupils at the school.
“The schools are already working closely together making plans in readiness for January should it be decided to progress with the proposal.
“The schools are considering transition activities for the pupils in the same way that they would for pupils moving from the infant school to the junior school.
“For pupils in Year 2, it will provide them with more time in their new school building and an earlier move than usual.”
Connaught Road was opened as a four-form entry infant school with 12 classrooms while the Holland Road site, formerly Hove Police Station, is a four-form entry junior school with 16 classrooms.
Hosting both schools on one site would require 14 classrooms, according to the report.
Both schools are currently undersubscribed with Hove Junior (Holland Road) operating as a school with three-form entry and West Hove Infant (Connaught Road) with two forms.
The schools will continue to remain separate entities with their own uniforms and the same class groups.
The proposed move does not affect the Portland Road site of either the infant or junior school.
The council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee is being asked to agree to relocate the infant school to the Holland Road site from January.
The decision is due to be made at a meeting of the committee at Hove Town Hall on Monday (8 November). It is scheduled to start at 4pm and to be webcast on the council’s website.
I hope this bespoke Grade 2 Listed infants school which was so beautifully restored for present use will not be lost to future baby boom spiked need. It could be badly needed again post covid.