Council
Subject: The Future of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
Date of meeting: 22 May 2025
Report of: Cabinet Member for Finance & City Regeneration
Lead Officer: Name: Deb Austin
Corporate Director Families, Children & Wellbeing
Contact Officer: Name: Richard Barker, Head of Education
Tel: 07584217328
Email: Richard.Barker@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected: All Wards
1.1 In response to the fall in primary numbers both in Brighton and Hove and nationally and the consequent reduction in demand for Catholic education, the Governing Body of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School (“the Governing Body”) supported by the Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton (“the Diocese”) have proposed closing St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.
1.2 This report references the consultation and publication of a Statutory Notice on the proposal to close St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School which was completed by the Governing Body with the support of the Diocese and seeks agreement to approve their recommendation for the school’s closure from 31 August 2025.
1.3 Education legislation provides that even if the proposal to close a Voluntary Aided school has been made by the Governing Board it is for the Local Authority to determine the final decision whether or not to close the school.
2.1 That Full Council approves the Governing Body’s recommendation that St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School should close with effect from 31 August 2025.
3.1 St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School is a one form entry voluntary aided
(‘faith’) primary school. The school has a published admission number of 30 pupils and capacity for 210 pupils. At the end of October 2024, the school had 149 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210 places with 61 surplus places (29%). The school’s address is St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Davey Drive, Hollingdean, Brighton, BN1 7BF.
3.2 Despite the school’s Ofsted rating of “Good” (December 2022), preferences
for the school have fallen in the last few years. The school has been under-subscribed in each of the last seven years with pupil numbers falling short of the school’s published admission numbers each year. St Joseph’s currently has the highest number of surplus places, the lowest numbers of first preference and the lowest numbers of Catholic pupils of the seven Catholic primary schools in the city.
3.3 There is acknowledgment that declining pupil numbers are difficult to
manage and can lead to irregular class sizes and inefficient staff to pupil ratios. The higher proportion of fixed costs and less flexibility to respond to cost pressures, unexpected events, and deficit recovery contribute to making a school with declining pupil numbers less viable.
City Central Planning Area
3.4 The table below shows the Council’s forecast of demand for school places in
the planning area up to September 2027. This is an extract from the complete table contained in Appendix G.
3.5 The Central City planning area is estimated to have in the region of 100
unfilled places in the coming years. As a Catholic school it is accepted that St Joseph’s will not simply draw pupils from the BN1 7 postcode but the localised picture, of there being surplus places in the planning area, is replicated in other adjoining planning areas. In October 2024, the seven Catholic primary schools had 1586 pupils on roll for a combined PAN of 1680, a surplus of 94 places (5.6%). St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School had 149 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210 places, which leaves 61 surplus places (29%).
Process to close the school
3.6 The Governing Body, supported by the Diocese, resolved to consult on a
proposal to close the school with effect from August 2025. The public consultation was conducted from 13 November 2024 – 17 January 2025. It was published online on the school’s website, circulated to the parents/carers and governors of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and to Headteachers of all schools via the School’s Bulletin published on BEEM (15 November 2024).
3.7 A public meeting was held at the school on 5 December 2024. Meetings
were also held with staff and their union representatives, with Headteachers of the Catholic schools in the city, a further meeting with a small group of parents (at their request) and pupils at the school were also consulted. There were 98 responses received (47 received online/via email and 51 received on paper).
3.8 Responses to the consultation were as follows:
Questions:
· Do you understand why the proposals to close St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School have been made?
Response: Yes = 89% No = 11%
· Do you agree with the proposal to close St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School?
Response: Yes = 1% No = 99%
The breakdown of responders is as follows:
|
Parent/Guardian of a child(red) directly affected by the proposal |
22 |
23% |
|
Family/Friend of child(ren) directly affected by the proposal |
41 |
42% |
|
Present/Past members of the school staff/leadership |
6 |
6% |
|
Member of the local community |
8 |
8% |
|
Not answered |
21 |
21% |
Religion
|
Christian |
46 |
47% |
|
No Religion |
9 |
9% |
|
Other |
3 |
3% |
|
Buddhist |
2 |
2% |
|
Pagan |
2 |
2% |
|
Prefer not to say |
36 |
37% |
Ethnic Origin
|
Arab |
1 |
1% |
|
Asian or Asian British: Chinese |
1 |
1% |
|
Black or Black British: African |
7 |
7% |
|
Mixed: Black African |
1 |
1% |
|
Not answered |
35 |
36% |
|
Other |
2 |
2% |
|
Prefer not to say |
1 |
1% |
|
Scottish |
1 |
1% |
|
White: English |
13 |
13% |
|
White: English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish, British |
19 |
20% |
|
White: Irish |
3 |
3% |
|
White: Other |
14 |
14% |
Further details relating to the consultation can be found in Appendices A-D.
3.9 The Governing Body and Diocese considered the consultation feedback
and the Governing Body made the decision to proceed to publish a Statutory Notice.
3.10 The statutory notice was published in The Argus on 24 February 2025.
3.11 Copies of the proposal were sent to:
· The Governing Body of the School
· The Diocese of Chichester
· The Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council
· Local Ward Councillors
· The Member of Parliament for Brighton Pavillion
· The Secretary of State for Education
· The Department for Education
· The School’s Adjudicator
· Admissions Teams in Brighton, East Sussex and West Sussex
3.12 Following the publication of the statutory notice a 4-week representation
period ran from 24 February - 24 March 2025 during which time interested parties were invited to make further comments on the proposal.
3.13 No representations were received during this period. Further details of the
documents provided during the representation period can be found in Appendices E and F.
3.14 It is proposed that the school be closed on 31 August 2025 and there is
no intention to implement this proposal in stages.
Capacity to accommodate displaced pupils
3.15 DfE Statutory Guidance- “Opening and Closing maintained schools (October
2024) states that “The decision maker should take into account
the overall quality of alternative places in the local area, balanced with the need to reduce excessive surplus capacity in the system.” The Council is confident that there is sufficient capacity to accommodate displaced pupils if the school is to close. While school places fluctuate daily, the availability of school places is as follows in the table below (it is anticipated that all pupils currently in year 6 will remain at the school for the remainder of the academic year so that data is not provided but is available).
|
R |
Yr 1 |
Yr 2 |
Yr 3 |
Yr 4 |
Yr 5 |
Yr 6 |
Total |
|
|
No in class |
6 |
8 |
4 |
9 |
3 |
15 |
24 |
69 |
|
Pupil Premium |
2 |
5 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
9 |
15 |
41 |
|
Catholic Faith |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
Of these:
· 45 pupils from Reception to Year 5 require placement, with 40 pupils in the process of securing a new school place for September 2025.
· 7 pupils have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP), and 4 pupils are in the process of obtaining an EHCP. There are no specialist places specifically reserved for pupils with special educational needs at the school. It is expected that all pupils with an EHCP will have their needs met in another mainstream school.
|
Available School Places (January 2025): There are 7 schools within 1.0 mile of St Joseph's with varying available places: |
|
· Downs Junior School (0.51 miles): 8 places across Y3-Y5 · Hertford Primary School (0.54 miles): 4 places across Y1-Y3 · Downs Infant School (0.56 miles): 3 places across YR-Y2 · St Martin's CE Primary School (0.8 miles): 38 places across all years · Fairlight Primary School (0.81 miles): 30 places across YR-Y4 · Coombe Road Primary School (0.93 miles): 31 places across all years · Balfour Primary School (0.97 miles): 33 places across Y1 and Y3-Y5 · St Mary Magdalen’s RC School (1.92 miles): 34 places across all years · St John the Baptist R C Primary School (2.27 miles): 5 places in Y1 and 1 in Y3 · St Mary’s Catholic School (4.45 miles): 6 places in R and 1 in Y3 · Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School (5.08 miles): 3 places in Y5 |
|
Total Places available = 197 |
Transition
3.16 Since the decision was taken by Governing Body to publish a Statutory Notice, consideration has been given to ensuring that where families have taken the decision to move pupils, they have been supported so that any disruption to pupils has been minimised.
3.17 For families preferring Catholic education, there are six other Catholic primary schools in Brighton. The Diocese has committed to look at financial transport support for Catholic families wishing to move their child/children to another Catholic school in the city.
3.18 The Council is working with the school and has implemented a team-
around-the-school approach to facilitate coordination with professionals already working within the school environment. The transition process for pupils with EHCPs and those in the application process has commenced since Easter. To support families during this transition, bi-weekly meetings have been established.
Impact on the Community
3.19 The potential impact of this proposed change on the pupils at the school is
not underestimated. There is recognition that the school serves some
disadvantaged families and therefore professional support, from the Brighton and Hove Inclusion Support Service (BHISS), Schools Mental Health Service and Ethnic Minority Achievement Service will be put in place to facilitate the movement of those students to local schools and minimise the impact of change upon them. The Council has undertaken the closure of two other primary schools in recent years and has therefore gained experience and insight into the process and how pupils can be supported when moving school.
Staffing
3.20 Should the school close, the staff will be at risk of redundancy. Staff
Consultations have taken place and if a decision is taken not to proceed with the closure of the school the consultation process will cease immediately. It has been made clear that the decision to start the consultation does not in any pre-empt the decision of Full Council.
3.21 It was considered appropriate to start the consultation period before a final
decision had been taken to ensure all staff had the benefit from being added to the Council’s redeployment pool at the earliest opportunity. It is hoped that compulsory redundancies can be avoided wherever possible, however it is recognised that as pupil numbers continue to fall across the city schools are having to reduce the number of staff employed.
3.22 Staff who are made redundant due to the closure of the school will receive
their relevant entitlements depending on the role in which they hold at the school and continuous service.
Balance of denominational provision
3.23 The proposal is about closing a Catholic Voluntary Aided school. St
Joseph’s has the highest number of surplus places, the lowest numbers of first preference and the lowest numbers of Catholic pupils of the seven Catholic primary schools in the city. The Diocese supports the proposed closure and considers that the impact on the balance of denominational provision in the city and the impact on parental choice for Catholic parents will not be unduly significant over time. It is expected that some families, whilst currently at a Catholic school, will not specifically be seeking a Catholic school alternative.
3.24 The Combined number of place at the Catholic primary schools in the city
would reduce from 1680 to 1470, should St Jospeh’s Catholic Primary School close. A reduction of 12.5% of places.
Maintained Nursery Schools
3.25 The nursery provision on the school site is not a maintained nursery school.
Instead, it is privately run pre-school on site, catering for up to 20 children aged 2-4. This provision is relocating to Coldean Primary School, where there is a nursery class, for under 3s (subject to contracts).
Travel
3.26 The information provided above demonstrates that alternative school places
can be provided within a reasonable distance of St Joseph’s. It is recognised that longer journeys to school may occur for some families if they take a place at a school further from their home address, and this will apply to children where their family may wish for them to attend a Catholic school which is further away.
3.27 Assessment for home to school transport assistance needs to consider if the
child is eligible under distance or individual child criteria, in line with he Council’s Home to School Transport policy. This will include consideration as to the reasonableness of the expectation that a child walks to school, accompanied by a parent.
3.28 The Diocese has committed to look at financial transport support for Catholic
families wishing to move their child/children to another Catholic school in the city.
Ownership of the site
3.29 The site is owned by The Arundel and Brighton Diocesan Trust, Charity
Number: 252878 and the security and disposal of the site will be their
responsibility.
4.1 During the public consultation period, several alternative options were
suggested. These included mixing year groups, increasing nursery numbers, greater collaboration with other Catholic Schools, developing SEN Support provision and increasing marketing and promotion of the school.
4.2 The Governing Body and the Diocese assessment concluded that these
alternative proposals did not address the core issue of filling the school’s capacity, and that their view was that a medium to long-term strategy to maintain a school with reduced pupil numbers was not viable, particularly as pupil numbers were projected to fall further. The data from all planning areas in the city (Appendix G) show that there is no increase in pupil numbers expected at least before 2028.
5.1 In general terms, school budgets are determined in accordance with criteria
set by the government and school funding regulations dictate that the vast majority of the delegated schools block of funding is allocated through pupil-led factors. This means schools with falling pupil numbers are likely to see reductions in annual budgets. This situation can be particularly challenging where pupil numbers in year groups fall well below the expected number, based on the PAN of a school.
5.2 By reducing the number of surplus places in the city in the longer term there
is an expectation that school occupancy rates will increase meaning that school budgets generally are more sustainable. Schools are more likely to be able to balance their budgets if operating with full, or close to full, forms of entry.
5.3 Where a local authority-maintained school has a deficit at the point at which
the school closes this will be a charge to the Council’s General Fund. The draft budget plan for 2025/26 submitted by St Joseph’s indicates that the school should not be in a deficit position at the proposed point of closure. On this basis, there would be no one-off cost to the general fund linked to the financing of an end deficit. However, there will be costs relating to redundancies and potential early pension agreements for staff where employment ceases because of the closure, and these costs would need to be met corporately. Human Resources are finalising estimates of the redundancy costs linked to the closure proposal.
Name of finance officer consulted: Steve Williams Date consulted: 15/04/2025
6.1 Section 14 of the Education Act 1996 imposes a duty on the Council to
ensure the provision of sufficient schools for the provision of primary and secondary education in its area.
6.2 In order to achieve any reorganisation of school provision the school’s
Governing Body and the council must comply with School Organisation legislation- the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (EIA), associated regulations, and statutory guidance published by the Department for Education- “Opening and closing maintained schools, Statutory guidance for proposers and decision makers, October 2024”. Both the legislation and guidance set out the steps which must be taken before making any decisions on proposals to reorganise school provision. A link to the Guidance is below:
Opening and closing maintained schools
6.3 Under section 15 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (“the Act”) the
Governing Body has the power to propose the closure of a voluntary aided school. In accordance with the Act and the School Organisation (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations 2013 (“the Regulations”), the Governing Body has completed a formal consultation, statutory notices have been published and a four-week representation period has taken place. Under the Act the council is the decision maker on the governing board’s proposal.
6.4 Under the Council’s Constitution, Full Council has reserved decisions on
strategic issues relating to school admission arrangements to itself. (Part 3.1.02(a)(ii) of the Constitution). The proposed closure of a school will fall within this remit.
6.5 The decision maker must have regard to the statutory decision makers
guidance contained in the DfE Guidance referred to in paragraph 6.2 above. This sets out the considerations that the council should take into account when deciding proposals to establish or discontinue (close) a school. In all cases, the decision maker should be satisfied that the proposer has carried out the requirements of the statutory process satisfactorily and should have due regard to all responses received during the representation period.
6.6 As the decision maker on the proposal the council must make the decision
within two months of the end of the representation period. When issuing a decision, the decision maker can:
· reject the proposal;
· approve the proposal without modification;
· approve the proposal with such modifications as they think desirable; or
· approve the proposal, with or without modification, subject to certain conditions being met
6.7 In taking decisions the council must ensure that all required consultations
have been properly undertaken in accordance with relevant law and guidance. It is important to recognise that a public consultation is not a vote or referendum, but an opportunity to gather a range of insights, views and feedback on proposals before any decisions are made. The council must make rational, evidence based decisions, take into account all relevant considerations, act for a proper purpose, and be properly reasoned.
6.8 The council is required to have ‘due regard’ to the duties set out in Section
149 of the Equality Act 2010 (the Public Sector Equality Duty) in determining the proposal. In order to comply with the public sector equality duty the council should have due regard to the analysis of the impact upon those affected by the proposal who have protected characteristics under the Act. This is summarised within the EIA template and the body of the report. Recent government guidance indicates that the general duty requires decision-makers to have due regard to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations in relation to activities such as providing a public service. As indicated in recent government guidance the duty does not dictate a particular outcome. The level of “due regard” considered sufficient in any particular context depends on the facts. The duty should always be applied in a proportionate way depending on the circumstances of the case and the seriousness of the potential equality impacts on those with protected characteristics
Name of lawyer consulted: Serena Kynaston Date consulted: 22/04/2025
7.1 The primary risk is potential disruption to pupils' education, particularly for
vulnerable children including the 25 pupils on the SEND register and the seven pupils with EHCPs. There are also operational risks around the timing of closure, staff redundancies, and the secure transfer of pupil records and school assets.
7.2 To mitigate these risks:
· The council has implemented a transition plan working with the school and a team of professionals to ensure dedicated coordination meetings and prioritised placement support are in place.
· The School Admissions team is working proactively to identify appropriate alternative placements, with special attention to maintaining appropriate support for vulnerable pupils.
· The council has comprehensive checklists which have been used in the previous school closures, and this will be shared with the Diocese to ensure that the school is able to prepare for closure.
7.3 The school has not yet moved into a deficit budget position, but there is a
significant risk of this occurring in the near future. Data from all planning areas in the city show that there is no increase in pupil numbers expected at least before 2028, indicating that the current financial pressures will likely continue or worsen.
7.4 Financial records demonstrate a consistent pattern of the school drawing on
reserves over the past three years, with carry-forward amounts decreasing year-on-year. If this trend continues without intervention, the school will exhaust its financial reserves and enter deficit. Should the school move into deficit, this would have significant implications for the council, as it would be required to make financial provision for this deficit. This would place additional pressure on already constrained council resources.
8.1 When making a decision about a school closure, the Council must have “due
regard to the duties set out in section 149 of the Equalities Act 2010 (the Public Sector Equality Duty). This requires the Council to consider how any decision to close might affect people who are protected under the Equality Act. Decision makers should be satisfied that the proposer has shown a commitment to providing access to a range of opportunities which reflect the ethnic and cultural mix of the area in which a school is located, whilst ensuring that such opportunities are open to all.
8.2 In addition, the Government refreshed guidance on the Public Sector
Equality Duty which requires public authorities to have due regard to certain equality considerations when exercising their functions, like making decision. The guidance reiterates that “It is for the decision-maker to decide how much weight should be given to the various factors informing the decisions. The duty does not mean that decisions cannot be taken which disadvantage some people (provided this does not constitute unlawful discrimination), but the decision-maker should be aware of the equality impacts of these decisions and consider how they could positively contribute to the advancement of equality and good relations. The decision-maker should consider ways of preventing, or balancing the effects that their decision may have on certain groups. They should decide which mitigations, if any, they might want to put into place in reconsidering the decision. The mitigation should be proportionate to the problem at hand”. Therefore, compliance with the general duty involves consciously thinking about the equality aims while making decisions. There is no prescribed process for doing or recording this.
8.3 This report is accompanied by an Equalities Impact Assessment (Appendix
H) which has been undertaken to identify any equality implications of the proposal and to address any concerns through appropriate mitigations if a decision is made to close the school. This EIA has been particularly informed by the responses to the consultation and representation periods.
8.4 The closure of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School would have significant
impacts on vulnerable groups within the school community. With 69 pupils currently on roll, 45 children from Reception to Year 5 will need to find alternative school places. Among these children, there are notable concentrations of pupils with protected characteristics and additional vulnerabilities. 41 pupils (59% of the total roll) qualify for pupil premium funding, indicating economic disadvantage. The school also has a disproportionately high percentage of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with 25 children (36%) on the SEND register, including seven with EHCPs and four in the process of obtaining EHCPs. These children have formed strong relationships with staff who understand their specific needs, and any transition carries risks of regression and increased anxiety.
8.5 The consultation responses highlighted significant concerns about the
impact on vulnerable families. For children with autism, sensory issues, and anxiety, the disruption could be particularly traumatic, affecting their education and emotional wellbeing. Several responses noted that the small school environment has been instrumental in meeting their children's needs, with parents expressing concern that larger schools may not provide the same level of individual attention and understanding.
8.6 To mitigate these equality impacts:
· a comprehensive transition support package is being developed, similar to that used for previous school closures in the city.
· Senior officers have already met with the Headteacher and Assistant SENDCo at St Joseph's to begin planning for appropriate transitions.
· The School Admissions team are working towards securing suitable school places for September, prioritising these applications ahead of other school change requests.
· Bi-weekly coordination meetings have commenced since Easter, focusing initially on children with EHCPs or those in the process of obtaining one. These meetings will bring together school representatives and relevant council officers to provide holistic support to children and families throughout the transition process. For Catholic families (nine pupils are identified as being of Catholic faith), particular consideration will be given to placement in alternative Catholic provision where possible.
· Throughout this process, the council will work closely with receiving schools to ensure they understand the needs of incoming pupils and can provide appropriate support from the outset.
9.1 The proposed closure of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School aligns with the
council's sustainability objectives by addressing the inefficient use of resources. Consolidating provision into schools with higher occupancy rates will enable more efficient use of resources and reduce the overall environmental footprint of educational provision in the city.
9.2 The transition process will consider minimising travel distances for pupils
relocating to alternative schools. When determining school place allocations, the council will consider proximity factors to reduce increased travel needs where possible, promoting sustainable travel options.
10. Health and Wellbeing Implications:
10.1 For pupils and families, changing schools can create anxiety, disrupt
established social connections and affect their sense of stability and belonging. This is particularly significant for vulnerable children, including the 25 pupils on the SEND register and those with child protection plans or receiving early help services.
10.2 Staff members will also face employment uncertainty, which may negatively
impact their mental health and wellbeing.
10.3 To mitigate these impacts:
· The bi-weekly coordination meetings will address emotional support needs, with appropriate referrals to wellbeing services where necessary.
· School staff will receive guidance on supporting children through the transition process, with particular attention to maintaining consistency for those with additional vulnerabilities.
· The council will work with receiving schools to ensure they understand the wellbeing needs of incoming pupils and can provide appropriate support from the outset.
· Staff will be provided with information about employment opportunities within other schools and access to wellbeing support services throughout the closure process.
· All transition activities will prioritise minimising disruption and maintaining wellbeing for the entire school community.
11.1 The Governing Board of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School and the
Diocese of Arundel and Brighton have formally consulted on the closure of the school and undertaking the publication of Statutory Notices.
11.2 Under the Department for Education’s statutory guidance the decision to
close the Voluntary Aided school rests with the Council.
11.3 The school has been impacted by a reduction in pupil numbers and with the
majority of school funding linked to pupil numbers the school would remain under significant financial pressure if it was to remain open.
11.4 The Council is accountable for any school deficits that exceed the combined
amount of school balances and currently this is forecast to be -£2,623,051 in 2024-25.
11.5 At March 2025 there were 69 pupils on roll and of these, 34 are in the
process of applying for a new school place. There are sufficient places in the city to accommodate the children who will be required to move school, should St Jospeh’s Catholic Primary School close.
Supporting Documentation
Appendix A: Consultation on the potential closure of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary
School
Appendix B: Public Responses to Consultation Process
Appendix C: St Joseph’s pupil responses to the Consultation Process
Appendix D: B&H City Council response to St Joseph’s Consultation
Appendix E: Final Statutory Notice St Joseph’s
Appendix F: Final Full Proposal Information St Joseph’s
Appendix G: Equalities Impact Assessment