Proposal to combine two Birmingham schools amid ‘unfilled pupil places’ and ‘financial challenges’

The city council has said it has received a request to amalgamate Bellfield Infant School and Bellfield Junior School, which operate on the same site in Northfield.

If the plans are given the green light, the junior school would be “discontinued” while the infant school would become a single primary school with a pupil age range of three to 11 years.

According to the council, the main reasons for the amalgamation are the financial challenges at the school and ‘falling roll’, which means a number of pupil places are unfilled.

The local authority acknowledged that Birmingham has experienced decreasing demand for primary school places in recent years because of falling birth rates.

But it went on to say that an increase in local housing and international resettlement programmes may see demand rise again at the two schools.

“This proposal does not reduce the number of pupil places that would be offered because of the amalgamation,” the council said.

“The admission number would continue to be monitored to ensure the school remains viable, which is the same for any school where there has been falling demand for pupil places.

“The amalgamation would offer more flexibility in managing admission numbers in the future, if required.”

Several possible benefits of the proposals were listed by the governing bodies, including continuity for pupils’ learning; a consistent ethos; simplified communication with parents and the school being in a “much stronger position financially”.

“Both schools are currently graded as ‘Good’ by Ofsted and are proud of their reputations for providing a caring and purposeful environment,” the council said.

“Each school has strengths within their relative key stages and the proposed amalgamation will allow these strengths to be maintained and shared across all year groups.

“The governing bodies feel that this is an exciting opportunity to construct a new identify for the schools together.”

On the possible impact, it said all current junior school pupils will “automatically transfer” to the newly amalgamated school.

“The school will remain in the existing buildings and the members of staff they usually interact with are most likely to remain the same as before,” it said.

On how staff could be directly affected, the council said the proposed changes would consider duplication of shared roles.

“Any staff reductions because of the amalgamation will be with full consultation with the individual employees and relevant trade unions and teaching associations,” it continued.

“A school offering both infant (key stage 1) and junior (key stage 2) provision may offer staff the opportunity for career development with potential opportunities for staff who wish to teach across key stages.

“This will be for the school to decide upon.”

There are no changes to the buildings proposed, with the only changes likely being signs and branding – the costs of which will be met from the school’s revenue budget.

A public consultation on the proposals will run until December 5, with the plans potentially being implemented from September next year.