Victory for parents as Government says no to Bristol school merger

Victory for parents as Government says no to Bristol school merger View 3 Images

The controversial closure of a Bristol primary school and its merger with another has been turned down by the Government, after a vociferous campaign by parents and local residents . The Department for Education has refused an application by the Cathedral Schools Trust to close Hotwells Primary School and use the site to expand Cathedral Primary School.

The DfE’s decision puts the Cathedral Schools Trust back to the drawing board the future of both schools. It had said the closure and merger was needed because of falling numbers at Hotwells and the school becoming financially unsustainable.

But now, after the DfE said no, the Cathedral Schools Trust told parents it would: “Continue to work closely wit