Closure of secondary sections of two former Steiner academies confirmed

The planned closure of provision for older children at two former Steiner academies in the west country has been confirmed in letters to parents at both schools.

Avanti Schools Trust, which was handed the former Steiner Academy Bristol and Steiner Academy Frome last year by the Department for Education, told families yesterday that the government’s Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) had decided that the secondary section of the former, and years nine, 10 and 11 at the latter, are to close.

The move came after this proposal had been put by the trust to government’s “Headteacher Board”, which advises the RSC. The decision was taken following a meeting on January 15^th, the outcome of which, as I have written, the DfE had refused to disclose.

The move at both schools had come despite an intervention from the Bristol East MP Kerry McCarthy, who appears to have warned the RSC, Hannah Woodhouse, of a looming shortage of school places if the decision went ahead.

The closures are due to happen at the soonest point possible, ie this coming September. Both moves come despite overwhelming opposition from parents, and with Avanti having said, in its response to consultation last autumn, that it would recommend, at the former Steiner Academy Frome in Somerset, that the current year 10 at this school would be allowed to stay there until next year, so that they would not have to move school in the middle of their GCSE courses.