Crewkerne and Ilminster Strategic School Review

Background

It is an absolute priority for Somerset County Council to secure high quality education for every pupil in the county. The number of children coming into schools in Crewkerne and Ilminster has been reducing for many years, putting the quality of education being delivered at risk and causing large budget overspends.

Timeline

• 2019 – an independent review into education provision in Crewkerne and Ilminster took place which found the current structure of schools was not sustainable.
• 12 June to 26 July 2019 – following the independent review, a consultation took place asking for views on a wide range of options.
• 21 October 2020 – the Council’s Cabinet decided to consult on a single option.
• 12 November to 11 December 2020 – a pre-publication consultation ran for four weeks to provide an opportunity for those who wished to have their say on the Council’s new proposal.
• 18 January 2021 – the Cabinet Member for Education and Transformation took a Non-Key Decision to proceed to a Statutory Consultation.
• 27 January 2021 – Notices were published in the Chard and Ilminster News.
• 27 January to 24 February 2021 – Statutory Consultation to provide members of the public a further opportunity to respond.
• 17 March 2021 – the Council’s Cabinet decided to approve proposals for a major change in the delivery of education in the Crewkerne and Ilminster area.

Read the proposals within the Cabinet papers and the decision documents, here.