Scope and Content
This series of records is concerned with the catchment areas of Bedfordshire Local Education Authority (LEA) schools and the related issue of closure and amalgamation of schools where falling pupil numbers made it uneconomic to keep the school concerned open.
The process began in 1978 with the formation of the School Transfer Arrangements & Catchment Areas Working Party and, though the process of revising catchment areas and closing schools continues, the bulk of the work ceased in 1986.
When using this catalogue the agenda papers and minutes of the following sub-committees and working parties of the Education Committee should be consulted:
* School Transfer Arrangements & Catchment Areas Working Party (Sep 1978-Jul 1982) - E/WP16;
* Upper & High Schools Review Working Party (Sep 1982-Feb 1985) - E/WP17 note: this Working Party was the successor to the School Transfer Arrangements & Catchment Areas Working Party (E/WP16) noted above;
* Small Schools & Surplus Places Working Party (May 1980-Sep 1982) - E/Sub12;
* Primary & Middle Schools Review Working Party (Sep 1982-Jul 1983) - E/Sub12 note: this Working Party was the successor to the Small Schools & Surplus Places Working Party (E/Sub12) noted above;
* Primary & Middle Schools Review Sub-Committee (Jul 1983-Apr 1985) - E/Sub12; note: this was the renamed primary & Middle Schools Review Working Party (E/Sub12) noted above);
* Special Committee on Upper School Closures (Jul-Dec 1983) - E/Sub11.
The following brief chronology outlines the main developments in the redrawing of school catchment areas and the closure of schools from 1978 to 1989, it should not be considered to be complete since it is possible that further files of working papers etc. may be transferred from the Education Department in the future.
1978 * February: Report of Study Group of Officers to Management Group of Chief Officers into the mechanics and feasibility of Upper School provision in the county.
* June: Report of Study Team of Officers to Management Team of Chief Officers on Luton High School populations
* September: proposals on possible changes to catchment areas of Goldington, Brickhill and Newnham Middle Schools, Bedford.
1979 * November: Education Committee resolution to negotiate with Hertfordshire to allow Stotfold children to attend Fearnhill School, Letchworth and to transfer Gamlingay children from Sandy Upper School to Stratton Upper School, Biggleswade.
1980 * September: proposal to transfer Fulbrook Middle School, Aspley Guise from the Leighton Buzzard Upper Schools catchment area to that of Wootton Upper School and to transfer Robert Bloomfield Middle School, Kempston from the catchment areas of both Wootton and Hastingsbury Upper School to that solely of Hastingsbury.
* November: decision to postpone a decision on the proposed rearrangement of catchment areas for Fulbrook and Robert Bloomfield Middle Schools as outlined in September 1980.
1981 * November: report by Small Schools & Surplus Places Working Party proposing the closure of certain small rural lower schools.
* November: complaint by Cambridgeshire LEA regarding Bedfordshire decision to refuse admittance to Sandy Upper School to children from Gamlingay Village College, offering them transfer to Stratton Upper School, Biggleswade instead.
1982 * January: Consultative Paper issued by School Transfer Arrangements & Catchment Areas Working Party proposing the closure of Beech Hill High School, Luton.
* February: Secretary of State’s refusal to accept complaint by Cambridgeshire LEA at decision of Bedfordshire to refuse Gamlingay children admittance to Sandy Upper School, offering instead places at Stratton Upper School, Biggleswade.
* March: Consultative Paper on future of Lower School provision in Dunstable issued by Small Schools & Surplus Places Working Party , proposing possible closure of two, unnamed, lower schools.
* April: Consultation Document issued by Small Schools & Surplus Places Working Party on the future of Middle Schools in north Bedford, recommending possible closure of either Brickhill or Newnham Middle School.
* June: Individual Consultative Papers issued by Small Schools & Surplus Places Working Party proposing closure of the following small rural lower schools: Cardington; Chalgrave; Eileen Wade, Upper Dean; Eggington; Hyde; Keysoe; Little Staughton; Milton Bryan VA; Odell; Pavenham; Christopher Reeves VA, Podington; Stagsden VA; Steppingley; Stevington; Streatley; Sundon; and Tempsford.
* July: Report of Small Schools & Surplus Places Working Party on north Bedford Middle Schools, recommending the closure of Brickhill Middle School, with minority report by Councillor stating he was not convinced that a case had been proven for the closure of any Middle School in Bedford.
* July: Consultative Paper issued by School Transfer Arrangements & Catchment Areas Working Party on Bedford Upper Schools, concluding that one school should be closed.
* July: Consultative Paper issued by School Transfer Arrangements & Catchment Areas Working Party on Upper Schools in Dunstable and Houghton Regis proposing that one school be closed.
* Report of School Transfer Arrangements & Catchment Areas Working Party recommending the closure of Beech Hill High School, Luton.
* September: opening of Wigmore Primary School, Luton and rearrangement of the catchment areas of adjoining schools.
* September: Report of Small Schools and Surplus Places Working Party recommending the closure of Highfields Lower School, Dunstable.
* November: Report of Upper & High Schools Review Working Party on Upper School provision in Bedford and Dunstable/Houghton Regis which concluded that: John Howard Upper School and Pilgrim Upper School, Bedford be merged on the John Howard site; the closure of Queensbury Upper School, Dunstable.
1983 * May: Report of Management Group of Senior Officers on the implications of falling school rolls.
* July: closure of the following lower schools: Cardington; Chalgrave; Highfields Lower School, Dunstable; Eggington; Milton Bryan VA; Pavenham; Odell; Steppingley; Stevington; and Tempsford.
* July: amalgamation of Keysoe and Little Staughton Lower Schools on the Keysoe site, the school being renamed Kymbrook Lower School.
* September: Kingsmoor Lower School, Flitwick receives part of the catchment area of Flitwick Lower School and Templefield Lower School, Flitwick.
* November: Report of Primary & Middle Schools Review Sub-Committee on Lower School provision in north Leighton Buzzard and Heath & Reach, recommending the merger of Heathwood and Dovery Down Lower Schools.
* November: Secretary of State’s approval for the closure of Beech Hill High School, Luton.
1984 * February: Report of Primary & Middle Schools Review Sub-Committee on provision of Middle Schools in North Bedfordshire, provisional conclusions being: closure of Harrold Priory Middle School; possible transfer of children from Clapham to Park Wood Middle School, Bedford instead of Lincroft Middle School, Oakley; merger of St.Bede's VA RC and St.Gregory's VA RC Middle Schools, Bedford; closure of one of Brickhill, Goldington or Newnham Middle Schools, Bedford.
* February: Consultative Document issued by Primary & Middle Schools Review Sub-Committee recommending the closure of Five Oaks Middle School, Caddington.
* June: Report of Primary & Middle Schools Review Sub-Committee on the future of Middle School provision in Bedfordshire, recommending: either the rebuilding or merger of St.Bede's VA RC Middle School, Bedford with St.Gregory's VA RC Middle School, Bedford; the closure of Brickhill Middle School, Bedford; the closure of Five Oaks Middle School, Caddington; widening the catchment area of Harrold Priory Middle School; that children from Clapham continue to attend Lincroft Middle School, Oakley.
* June: Secretary of State’s rejection of proposals to close John Howard Upper School, Bedford and Houghton Regis Upper School.
1986 * March: Consultation Paper regarding Upper Schools and falling pupil numbers, outlining four options: additional teachers; equalisation of numbers of pupils in schools; reorganisation of lower/middle/upper school system; closure of some schools.
* October: Consultation Paper proposing: merger of John Howard and Pilgrim Upper Schools Bedford, on one site; closure of Queensbury Upper School, Dunstable; new catchment areas for Sharnbrook Upper School, Wootton Upper School, The Cedars Upper School, Leighton Buzzard, Vandyke Upper School, Leighton Buzzard, Redborne Upper School, Ampthill and Harlington Upper School; inclusion of Stotfold in Samuel Whitbread Upper School, Shefford catchment area and ceasing agreement with Hertfordshire whereby Stotfold children attended Fearnhill School, Letchworth.
1987 * March: Consultative paper issued by Education Department proposing the merger of Rotherham and Stockwood High Schools, Luton, on one site.
* September: Report of County Review Sub-Committee recommending the closure of Queensbury Upper School, Dunstable.
1989 * January: Consultation Paper on catchment areas of Luton High Schools.
* December: decision to alter catchment areas of Clipstone Brook, Leedon and Beaudesert Lower Schools, Leighton Buzzard as from September 1990.