Amalgamation of schools: process and considerations

Reasons for amalgamation

If you're considering amalgamation, you might be:

• Wanting to create an all-through school
• A smaller school that needs or wants to stay viable by sharing a headteacher and centralising administrative services

Local authorities (LAs) have the power to require their schools to amalgamate. They may do this to:

• Minimise disruption for primary pupils by joining infant and junior schools to create all-through primaries
• Close a school that’s no longer viable by itself
• Increase the number of school places to meet local demand
• Raise standards at a school that has been judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted where no sponsored academy is available

Routes to amalgamation

The process in maintained schools  The DfE's statutory guidance on school organisation (the top document) includes information on amalgamating maintained schools. It explains on page 18 that there are 2 routes for amalgamation. Route 1: closing both schools The LA