Schools not joining academy trust after protest

Two schools in Hove will not be going ahead with a plan to join an academy trust.

West Hove Infant School and Hove Junior School, run by Hove Learning Federation (HLF), did consult parents, staff and local residents on whether to join the Aurora Multi Academy Trust (MAT), which would have moved them out of local authority control.

However, in a letter to parents released on Thursday, the governing board said it had made the decision not to go ahead with the proposal for the schools to become academies "at this point".

There were 1,109 responses to the consultation via the online form, HLF said.

A spokesperson for the schools said: "We have been carefully considering the benefits of joining an academy trust. We believed a partnership with Aurora Academies Trust would secure the financial and operational sustainability of our schools.

"We have carefully assessed all responses, including from the local authority, and as a result we have decided not to proceed with the proposal to become academies at this time.

"We would like to once again thank our community for their continued engagement and support."

Following the decision, HLF said it would work with the local authority for the next 18 months to two years before considering academisation again.

Councillor Emma Daniel, cabinet member for children, families and youth services at Brighton & Hove City Council, said: "We are delighted to learn the Hove Learning Federation has decided to remain part of the Brighton & Hove education and learning community.

"We are looking forward to working in partnership with the federation and supporting them."

Nick Childs, senior regional officer at the National Education Union, South East region, said: "The NEU are delighted that the governing body of the Hove Learning Federation have listened and decided against transferring West Hove Infant School and Hove Junior School to an academy trust.

"It is our view that the best interests of pupils and staff lie in the schools remaining part of the Brighton and Hove local authority family of schools."

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.