Three-school closure plan agreed

Plans to replace three East Sussex secondary schools with two academies have been approved by councillors.

Filsham Valley, The Grove and Hillcrest schools in Hastings, which currently fall below government targets, would close in three years.

East Sussex County Council's cabinet agreed to the plans and will now prepare an expression of interest to be submitted to the government.

British Telecom and the University of Brighton are to sponsor the academies.

This is the very start of the process so nothing is set in stone Keith Glazier, East Sussex County Council

Both academies would be run by a trust led by the university, and the county council would also become a sponsor to help keep "democratic accountability".

No decisions have been made about where the new academies will be sited, a council spokesperson said.

However, they would be state-funded, all-ability and bound by the same School Admissions Code, curriculum, SEN Code of Practice and exclusions guidance.

Councillor Keith Glazier, the cabinet member for children and families, said: "This is the very start of the process so nothing is set in stone.

"However, we believe that we have found the right sponsorship arrangements."

'Ambitious and radical'

The council said staff at all three schools would be able to transfer to the academies and parents, pupils and the local communities would be consulted on the plans.

"There will be two academies, rather than three, because of current surplus places and projected pupil numbers which show that there will only be enough students for two," the spokesperson added.

The three schools are already working together on the Ninestiles Plus programme, run by a successful Birmingham school.

Mr Glazier said: "We are working on an ambitious and radical plan to improve opportunities and outcomes for young people in Hastings.

"The collaboration with Ninestiles Plus over the next three years is the first phase of that plan, the two new academies are the next natural step."