Bedford Academy Cluster
Bedford Borough Council has confirmed its
decision to convert all lower schools in the *Bedford Academy
cluster to primary schools.
A phased approach is being taken:
Cauldwell, Cotton End, Elstow,
Shackleton, Shortstown, and Stephenson
will be converted to primary schools in Phase
1. Most pupils who attend these schools currently
and are expected in future to attend the Bedford Academy.
In September 2013:
Bedford Academy will admit pupils into Year 9 as
usual.
Cotton End, Cauldwell, Elstow, Shackleton,
Shortstown and Stephenson Lower Schools will retain Year
5 pupils.
Abbey and Harrowden Middle Schools will only
retain Year 6 and Year 7 and Year 8 pupils.
In September 2014:
Bedford Academy will admit pupils into Years 7,
8 and 9.
Abbey and Harrowden Middle Schools will
close.
Cotton End, Cauldwell, Elstow, Shackleton,
Shortstown, Stephenson Lower Schools will retain Year 5 and Year 6
pupils.
Cople, Lakeview, Willington
and Wilstead will be converted to primary schools
in Phase 2. Most pupils who attend these
schools currently attend middle and upper schools outside the
Academy cluster and this is expected to continue until places are
available at a new secondary school to be built in the Wixams
development.
Cllr David Sawyer, Portfolio Holder for
Education at Bedford Borough Council, said: “The new Bedford
Academy will open in September 2012 as a secondary school and will
be well placed to continue to improve standards and deliver the
high quality education that its local communities rightly expect.
The creation of new primary schools is an excellent example of how
the Borough Council continues to invest in our schools and their
pupils. The lower schools in the second phase will continue to
thrive and we will ensure that additional secondary places are
provided as soon as possible.”