FAQs

In 2024, it was identified that the main school building had concrete ceiling blocks containing cracks. Investigations confirmed that these cracks were related to the weak concrete mixture used when the school was constructed in the 1960s.

This weak mix was formed into hollow blocks, a common building method in the 1960s when the school was built, and then used as part of a technique sometimes referred to as Hollow Concrete Block and Plank.

Because the hollow concrete blocks work together as part of the floor and roof structure, damage to an individual block can affect the support provided to adjacent areas of the slab. The structural concern identified by engineers relates to the potential failure of individual blocks and the associated risk of falling material, rather than the overall stability of the building.

The structural report describes the metal decking as a temporary measure because it supports the existing blocks but does not remove or repair their inherent weakness.

Regular inspections are required to check that the measure remains effective. The structural report recommended that this type of repair be used for no more than five years, subject to satisfactory ongoing inspections.

Engineering advice indicates that further intervention will be required at the end of this period because the reinforcement does not address the underlying issue of the low-strength concrete blocks.

The current solution also requires regular inspection and management throughout this period.

The report predates the works undertaken in 2025 and is therefore not a post-completion inspection of the installed reinforcement. The report was commissioned to investigate and assess the structural integrity of the building following the initial identification of structural issues.

Within the report, profiled metal decking was assessed as a temporary remedial approach and it was recommended that such a repair be limited to five years, subject to regular inspections. The works later installed in the kitchen and hall were based on this approach.

The modular classrooms were installed as a temporary measure to allow education to continue safely and were not intended to be a permanent solution.

Using the modular classrooms as a long-term solution would require further investment and ongoing measures to support permanent educational use, including servicing, accessibility and building compliance requirements. This would involve significant additional cost.

Even with this investment, the underlying structural issues affecting the main school building would remain.

The Council did not have plans to close Hazlewood Primary School when these decisions were made. The priority was to allow pupils to return to face-to-face education on the Hazlewood site as quickly and safely as possible and to ensure pupils and staff had access to the facilities needed for education to continue.

These measures also provided time for discussions with the Department for Education to continue while options for a long-term solution were explored.

No. The main reason for this proposal is the condition of the school building and the lack of a funded long-term solution. Significant structural issues mean large parts of the building cannot be used, and the current modular classrooms and remedial works were put in place as temporary measures.

The Council has explored rebuild and remediation options with the Department for Education, but no funding has been secured for a permanent solution.

The proposal is about providing long-term certainty for pupils, staff and families, rather than continuing to rely on temporary arrangements that do not address the underlying condition of the building.

It is a requirement to undertake pre-publication consultation before any school closure proposal can progress.

The Schools Adjudicator’s decision acknowledged that the temporary classroom units had an operational life cycle of up to 60 years and that the Council and the school had differing views on the lifespan of the remediation works (paragraph 17 of the decision letter dated 30 June 2026).

The adjudicator stated that while he accepted that the school may be fully and safely operational for some time, he considered it to be “at some cost in terms of the arrangements that have to be made daily by all concerned and also that such accommodation, however, functional, can never be ideal.” He went on to say, “it cannot be in the long-term interests of the provision of the educational environment sought for children in the LA’s Strategic Review that the current situation should continue indefinitely” (paragraph 66 of the decision letter).

The adjudicator stated that “it was not unreasonable for the proposal to be made that Hazlewood should close in August 2028” (paragraph 68 of the decision letter).

The Council did not submit an application to the recent round of the programme as a Cabinet decision had been made to close the school and merge with Greenfields Primary School. The Governing Body was offered the opportunity to submit an application directly to the programme but did not do so.

No viable funding route for a permanent rebuilding solution has been identified to date.

Opportunities for the school to join an academy trust were explored during the previous closure proposal, including during an extended consultation period to allow discussions to progress. However, this did not result in the school joining an academy trust at that time.

It remains an option for the school to join an academy trust. Any trust considering taking on the school would consider a range of factors, including finances, pupil numbers and projections and academic results. Approval would also be required from the Department for Education.

Yes. Pupil place planning data shows there are enough school places available in the area to meet current and future demand. Birth rates have been falling for a number of years and are expected to continue to decline, meaning fewer children are expected to need school places in the future.

The Council's assessment is that neighbouring schools have sufficient capacity to accommodate pupils from Hazlewood Primary School if the proposal goes ahead.

At this stage, the proposal is being consulted upon and no decision has been made.

Staffing decisions are the responsibility of the school's Governing Body. If the proposal goes ahead, the Governing Body would consult affected employees and trade unions at the appropriate time.

The Council's Schools HR Team provides support to the school through a service level agreement, including dedicated support to the Governing Body on staffing matters.

No, this is not a statutory Department for Education requirement.

Relevant statutory guidance requires decision-makers considering school closure proposals to consider:

• whether there is sufficient capacity in other schools for displaced pupils
• the overall quality of alternative places available locally
• the impact on educational standards, travel arrangements and community factors
• the ability of schools with strong performance records to accommodate pupils
• details of the schools where displaced pupils could be offered places and evidence that sufficient places exist.

There are currently no public meetings planned as part of this consultation. Public meetings are not a statutory requirement of the consultation process.

Views and feedback can be shared through the online consultation and all responses received will be considered as part of the decision-making process.

This pre-publication consultation closes at midnight on 26 November 2026.

Responses will then be considered before a decision is made on whether to publish formal proposals to close the school and proceed to the statutory consultation stage. This decision is expected in early December.

If formal proposals are published and the statutory consultation takes place, a final decision is likely to be made in early 2027.