BURY ST EDMUNDS ALL-THROUGH TRUST

All-Through Schooling
Beetons Way, Bury St. Edmunds, IP32 6RF
Telephone (01284) 754857 Fax (01284) 767313
www.burytrust.org

25 April 2016
Dear Sir/Madam
You will know that throughout the SOR consultation and beyond, the Howard and Mildenhall Road
communities have fought to retain Howard Middle School. Despite their efforts, that school will
close in July 2016, allowing an expanded Howard Primary School to open on the site in September
2016. Those who live in this part of the town and who wish their children to go through the two-tier
system will therefore be able to go to Howard Primary and then transfer to either King Edward VI
school or, if they prefer, Sybil Andrews Academy. However, this will not cater for those who wish
their children to be educated in our All-Through Trust and to access the middle phase more locally
than our existing campuses, which are, in any case, full.
You may not be aware that those opposed to the closure of Howard Middle School wrote to the
Prime Minister on 8th May 2015 urging his new government to listen to their case. The Trust has
sought a compromise position that does not prevent Suffolk County Council and the Bury Schools
Partnership from implementing their plans for Howard Primary, but provides additional middle
phase capacity in line with the wishes of many in the local community. The Department for
Education has considered our application, via the Free School route, to open an additional 400-place
middle phase campus, beginning with a year five in September 2017. This is to be located in the
area covered by the IP32 postcode on a site yet to be determined. In considering our application, the
DfE has also approved a temporary site at our Tollgate Campus for 2016-2017, to accommodate
pupils currently in years six and seven at Howard Middle School who wish to continue their
education in the All-Through Trust. This Free School application has now progressed to the preopening phase and we are required to conduct a public consultation. The Free School will have the
same ethos, policies, curriculum and assessment methods as the Trusts existing middle phase
provision and which Howard Middle School has been following. Further details of the Bury St
Edmunds All-Through Trust are available on its website: www.burytrust.org.
If you would like to comment on our proposals, please write to me at the above address. This letter
can also be found on our website and comments can be emailed to cbennett@bsecus.org if you
prefer. The public consultation will end on 1st June and all responses will need to be received by
then.
Yours sincerely

Dr Richard Fletcher
Chairman of the Trust Board

County Upper School - Bury St. Edmunds Academy Trust is registered in England and Wales as a charitable company limited by guarantee and is an exempt charity. Company No: 07697600.
Registered Office: Bury St. Edmunds County Upper School, Beetons Way, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP32 6RF.