Outcome of the pre-publication proposal to amalgamate Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School

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Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 1 
 
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk  
 
Chief Officer Decision Notice 
For non-key decisions 
 
 
Notice is hereby given that the following Chief Officer Decision has been made, as 
delegated by the Cabinet/Cabinet Member or under their delegated authority in the 
Council’s Constitution. 
 
1. NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION 
 
Title of decision Outcome of the pre-publication proposal to amalgamate Whitehall 
Infant School and Whitehall Junior School – Spring 2026 
 
Name and Title of 
Chief Officer(s) 
making the 
decision 
Julie Kelly – Corporate Director Children’s Services 
Directorate Children’s Services 
Reference No. 1642 
Date of decision 19 February 2026 
Relevant Ward Uxbridge 
 
Details of Decision Taken 
 
Decision The Chief Officer agrees to: 
 
1. Review the responses to the Stage one: consultation , 
proposal to amalgamate Whitehall  Infant School and 
Whitehall Junior School. 
2. Officers progressing to the next stages of the statutory  
process for the proposed amalgamation as per Making 
significant changes to maintained schools and Opening and 
closing maintained schools  and conduct ing a formal 
consultation  
3. The publishing of  a statutory proposal  on the Hillingdon 
Council website , and a brief notice containing the website 
address of the full proposal to  be published in a local 
newspaper, as well as a period of representation which 
would start on the date of publication of the statutory 
proposal and must last for 4 weeks. 
 
  


Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 2 
 
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk  
Reason for 
decision 
To approve the request  to progress to the next stage of the statutory 
process following the stage one consultation proposal to amalgamate 
Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall  Junior School. The Chief Officer 
for Children’s Services has delegated authority to make this decision 
  
This stage is a statutory requirement to consult any parties the proposer 
thinks appropriate before publishing any proposals under section 15. 
 
Alternative 
options 
considered and 
rejected 
Alternate options considered were: 
 
1. Do nothing and the two schools would continue to op erate as 
separate entities. This would not provide the required security for the 
schools or benefits to families outlined in the proposals. 
 
2. Federation was considered instead of amalgamation. However, in 
this model, each school would retain its own leadership team but 
operate under a single executive headteacher, and governing body. 
This would not provide the required security for the schools or 
benefits to families outlined in the proposals. 
 
Factors 
considered 
A pre-publication consultation was carried out from Tuesday 20th 
January to Friday 13th February 2026 to gather views on the potential 
proposal to amalgamate the two schools from a range of stakeholders 
in line with the Department for Education (DfE) guidance. 
 
Report Author & 
Directorate 
Abi Preston - Director of Education & SEND 
Gary Binstead – Head of Education & SEND Commissioning 
 
 
 
  

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 3 
 
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Legal and Finance Comments 
 
Finance 
comments 
 
The amalgamation has no impact on the Council’s General Fund, as all 
financial implications are contained within the Dedicated Schools Grant 
(DSG). 
 
Finance Officer 
name and Title 
Pamela Hawtree, Lead Finance Business Partner 
Luisa Hansen, Head of Finance – Children and SEND 
Legal Comments  
There are no legal impediments to the proposed decision. 
 
Legal Officer 
Name and Title 
Brendan Molloy, Head of Legal - People 
 
Appendices / report attached 
 
List here any 
report / 
appendices / e.g. 
tender evaluations 
or other 
documentation to 
be included in 
support of this 
decision 
 
Opening and Closing maintained schools  
Making significant changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained 
schools.   
Appendix 1 - Hillingdon Infant and Junior Amalgamation Policy – 
September 2022 
Appendix 2 - Whitehall Infant School – Financial Benchmarking and 
Insights Tool 
Appendix 3 - Whitehall Junior School – Financial Benchmarking and 
Insights Tool  
Appendix 4 - Proposal for pre-publication 
Appendix 5 - Frequently Asked Questions Document 
Appendix 6 - Presentation for Information Sessions 
Appendix 7 - Academic Research of the benefits of Amalgamation 
 
Exempt 
Classification 
Report / appendices to be made public 
 
  
 
Cabinet Member & other Chief Officer consultation 
 
Name and Title of 
any other Chief 
Officer(s) you 
have consulted 
with and as per 
any delegation. 
 
N/A 
 
Name and Title of 
the Cabinet 
Member you have 
consulted, and as 
per any delegation 
 
N/A 
 

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 4 
 
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk  
Any conflicts of 
interest declared 
by the Chief 
Officer making 
this decision 
and/or Cabinet 
Member who is 
consulted by the 
officer which 
relates to the 
decision - or if 
dispensation by 
the CEO was 
granted to them. 
N/A 
 
Authority for this decision 
 
Detail authority 
from Cabinet or 
under delegated 
authority in the 
Constitution / 
Officer Scheme of 
Delegations 
 
The Corporate Director for Children’s Services has delegated authority 
to approve this proposal. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. APPROVAL 
 
 
 
Formal approval by Chief Officer making the decision 
 
 
Signed                      
 
Date: 19 February 2026 
 
Julie Kelly – Corporate Director Children’s Services 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 5 
 
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3. REPORT 
 
REPORT STATUS 
 
Public 
 
SUPPORTING INFORMATION 
 
The Council, and schools are expected to consider the long- term vision of each school, 
ensure the best outcomes for our children and young people, and the sustainability of schools. 
Part of this responsibility is to continue to:   
• improve and provide the best possible education and care for every child;  
• provide an excellent working environment and experience for staff; and  
• support and work with their local community  
 
Officers see a range of benefits in combining the existing schools into a new primary school  
through the statutory amalgamation process, which include:  
• A consistent approach to the ways in which children are taught and supported, 
recognising the current strengths of both schools.  
• Increased opportunities for children in all key stages to come together for pastoral, social 
and creative activities.  
• Consistency of parental involvement throughout the primary phase of education by having 
the ability to foster longer-term relationships with families within one school. 
• Communication between school and parents will be simplified, especially for parents with 
children in both schools. It would remove any duplication and ensure a joined- up 
approach for events, training and other matters. 
• Removes the need for parents to apply for a place at the Junior School as children would 
automatically continue their education as part of one Whitehall school.  
• Increased career development opportunities for staff through the sharing of a wider range 
of expertise and the possibility to gain experience and an understanding of all Primary 
Key Stages.  
• Greater opportunity for cost effectiveness through economies of scale e.g. in purchasing, 
ensuring the best provision possible for the children; 
 
Both Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School are community maintained schools 
located in the Uxbridge  ward and were both graded ‘Good’ at their last Ofsted Inspection. 
Whitehall Infant School was inspected in November 2024 and maintained its grade from the full 
inspection in March 2015, and Whitehall Junior School was inspected in June 2023 and 
maintained its grade from the full inspection in September 2014. 
  

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 6 
 
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Both of these schools are located adjacent to each other and effectively share one site. As they 
are community maintained schools, this means they are both maintained by Hillingdon Council 
and the Council owns the buildings and the land. The Local Authority is also responsible for 
determining the school admission arrangements for both schools. 
 
The Hillingdon Infant and Junior Amalgamation Policy, September 2022, ( see Appendix 1 ) 
states that “The London Borough of Hillingdon will require Governing Bodies of all separate 
infant and junior schools to consider amalgamating their two linked schools when one or more 
of the following ‘trigger circumstances’ occur, unless there are comp elling and overriding 
reasons”  
 
A)  A headteacher vacancy arises in either or both schools. 
B)  Total pupil numbers in either school are 25% or more below the Published Admission 
Number. 
C)  Ofsted inspection in one of the schools identifies a ‘Requires Improvement’ judgement. 
D)  One or both of the schools cannot set a balanced budget or has financial problems.  
E)  One or both of the schools involved is judged to be a ‘School causing concern’ by the London 
Borough of Hillingdon. 
F)  One or both schools have PANs or are recruiting at below two forms of entry –  making the 
individual schools relatively small and at risk of becoming unviable within the Hillingdon 
funding context. 
G)  Other pressures whereby the educational provision would be improved through 
amalgamation such as provision of SEN support, staff recruitment and retention or issues 
linked to the buildings. 
 
Following the announcement that the Headteacher of Whitehall Infant School would be retiring 
in August 2026, the schools met trigger A as listed above. Initial discussions were then held with 
both governing bodies to outline and explore the potential for amalgamation.  
 
The potential of amalgamating Infant and Junior schools i n line with the amalgamation policy , 
has been discussed with schools over the last few years at various collective and individual 
meetings, and schools have been made aware that the Council would propose this solution  
under the appropriate circumstances. 
 
Both schools have been affected by the ongoing decline in the birth rate across Hillingdon, which 
has resulted in Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School reducing their Published 
Admissions Numbers from 120 (4FE) to 90 (3FE) from September 2025. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 7 
 
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk  
 
 
 
Whitehall Infant School 
     
*The October 25 figure shows a reduction of 30 in the PAN, as PAN changes only take effect in the year 
of entry, which in this case, is Reception 
 
Whitehall Junior School 
 
*The October 25 figure shows a reduction of 30 in the PAN, as PAN changes only take effect in the year 
of entry, which in this case, is Year 3. 
 
Proposal 
The process of amalgamation is a technical process  to join 2 schools together and, in order to 
conduct the process in a legally compliant manner, the Council are required to use appropriate 
technical language. However, it is important to note that: 
• No children will be displaced as a result of the proposed amalgamation 
• There will not be a change in pupil numbers as a result of the proposed amalgamation 
• No buildings or property at the school sites will be closed, removed, developed or sold as 
a result of the proposed amalgamation 
• Children will continue to be educated at the same site by the same staff  
 
The report recommends proceeding to a formal consultation by publishing a statutory notice 
proposing to expand the age range at Whitehall Junior School and to technically close Whitehall 
Infant School, bringing the two together as a single primary school. The newly expanded Junior 
School would be renamed (with the final choice of name to be determined by the school), thereby 
completing the amalgamation.  


Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 8 
 
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk  
 
 
 
Public Sector Equality Duty 
The council will take due regard to the potential impact of the proposals throughout the formal 
consultation process and consider whether a full Equality Impact Assessment is required. 
Financial Implications 
If the schools amalgamate, the combined school will only be eligible for one lump sum  in the 
future (an allocation from the Dedicated Schools Grant provided to individual schools to support 
fixed costs that is currently £159,662 a year – based on the budget for 2025/26).   
 
As outlined in the Schools Operational Guide: 2025 to 2026 (GOV.UK) , when two schools 
amalgamate after 1 April 2025, the newly formed school will receive funding equivalent to the 
combined formula funding of the predecessor schools for the relevant portion of that financial 
year. This includes receiving the combined lump sums for the remainder of the first year, and 
70% of the second lump sum in the following year. Local authorities may apply to provide an 
additional year of protection, subject to discussion and agreement with Schools Forum. 
 
The financial implication of the amalgamation of the two schools will be the eventual loss of the 
lump sum income  usually available per school. The school can,  however, benefit from better 
economies of scale which could mitigate the impact of this loss.  In addition, the planned 
retirement of the headteacher at the Infant school will create a natural saving, reducing 
leadership costs without the need for restructuring or redundancies . The combined school (as 
a primary school) would receive the same lump sum payment as all other  primary schools 
across Hillingdon if amalgamation is approved. No other funding will be affected as part of this 
proposal.  
 
The amalgamation will have no impact on the Council’s General Fund, as all financial 
implications are contained within the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). The proposal does not 
require additional Council funding or create any new pressure on the General Fund. 
 
 
RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION 
 
The benefit or impact upon Hillingdon residents, service users and communities? 
 
Consultation & Engagement carried out  
 
The Local Authority is following statutory guidance set out by the DfE in Opening and closing 
maintained schools  and Making significant changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained 
schools. This sets out an expectation that interested parties are consulted informally prior to 
publication of a statutory proposal and formal consultation, and so a period of informal 
consultation was carried out between Tuesday 20 th January 2026 and Friday 13th February 
2026.  

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 9 
 
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An informal consultation document (see Appendix 4) and frequently asked questions document 
(see Appendix 5 ) was made available in hard copy and electronic form , that outlined the 
proposals and relevant background information. Hard copies were made available on request 
from the Local Authority. This information was sent to both Headteachers and Chair of 
Governors to share with parents of all children attending both schools on Monday 19th January 
2026 on how to access the consultation document and submit a response. 
Information about the informal consultation and a survey about the proposals was included on 
the Hillingdon ‘Have Your Say’ webpage. 
Three on-line consultation meetings were hosted by Local Authority officers that provided 
parents/carers, staff, governors and members of the public the opportunity to comment on and 
ask questions about the proposals. One of these events was reserved for school staff only. A 
summary of dates and attendees is set out in the table below: 
Information Session 
Date 
Information 
Session Time 
Attendees Number of 
Attendees 
Monday 26th January 2026 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm Virtual Staff Meeting 47 
Wednesday 28th January 
2026 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm  Virtual Public 
Meeting 7 
Wednesday 28th January 
2026 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm  Virtual Public 
Meeting 9 
 
 
Please see Appendix 6 – Information Session Presentation for a copy of the presentation used 
at the events. 
 
Queries from the information sessions have been addressed in the section on themes below. 
 
Parents, carers, staff, governors and members of the public were also invited to share their 
views by responding to the consultation by any of the following ways;  
• completing the on-line consultation form 
• writing directly to the Council 
• attending an on-line event 
Responses from the consultation process 
90 responses were received in total during the consultation period with 90  submitted via the 
online questionnaire, 0 via email and 0 via post. The responses are summarised below. 
 
Online Questionnaire responses are summarised below:   
 
• Respondents were asked if they agreed with the proposal 
 Yes – 52 
 No - 29 
 Don’t know – 9 
 
• Comments provided by respondents are included in the section below 

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 10 
 
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• 90 respondents have confirmed their interest in the proposal as: 
 A parent/ Carer/guardian – 69 
 A staff member – 15 
 A local resident – 2 
 Prefer not to say – 2 
 Other – 2 
 
• 90 respondents confirmed whether they have children under the age of 18 living in their 
household.   
 None – 11 
 1 child – 21 
 2 children – 34 
 3 children – 13 
 4 children - 5 
 5+ children – 5 
 Didn’t answer - 1 
 
• Respondents were invited to state which school(s) their child(ren) currently attend  are set 
out below: 
 Whitehall Infant School - 57 
 Whitehall Junior School – 43 
 Other Secondary school in Hillingdon – 10 
 Out of borough Secondary School – 2 
 N/A - 12 
(please note that some respondents have more than 1 child) 
 
 
Themes 
 
1. Educational Benefits and Consistency  
• A large  proportion of respondents (59%) were supportive of the proposed 
amalgamation to bring the two schools together and that it will have a positive impact, 
promoting more consistent teaching practices and supporting both schools to improve 
outcomes and strengthen their reputation within the local community 
 
2. Loss of Funding and Resources 
• Some respondents are concerned that the amalgamation will lead to a significant 
reduction in the school's budget, which could negatively impact the quality of 
education, staffing levels, and extracurricular activities 
 
The local authority recognises the concerns regarding funding. Based on the financial 
benchmarking information, and the retirement of the Infant school Headteacher, if the proposed 
amalgamation goes ahead, council officers will work closely with the school to identify 
opportunities for additional efficiencies and savings. The funding for the school would be in line 
with other Primary schools across Hillingdon. 
  
3. Communication Consistency and Parental Engagement 
• Some respondents  felt that consistent communication would be needed for staff, 
parents, guardians and carers to stay informed of updates and were keen for 
additional channels to be developed for feedback.   

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 11 
 
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If the proposal is approved by Cabinet, the new Primary School will implement a unified 
communication strategy supported by a single, fully integrated website. This will ensure that 
parents, carers, guardians, and staff receive timely, consistent, and accessible updates about 
school developments, key events, policies, and day ‑to‑day information. The approach will help 
create clearer lines of communication across the whole school community and reduce 
inconsistencies that some respondents believe currently exist between the being two separate 
schools. 
 
4. Concern about the loss of the Infant School’s unique identity and early-years 
expertise after amalgamation 
• Some respondents expressed worry that merging the Infant School with the Junior 
School may diminish the strong family -centred ethos and specialist early -years 
knowledge that currently characterise the Infant School. They felt this could negatively 
affect the outcomes for younger children and their families.  
 
The local authority recognises the high- quality early-years practice and strong pastoral ethos 
that the Infant School has developed including the Early Years provision. Preserving and 
embedding this expertise within the new primary school would be  a priority for the school if the 
amalgamation was approved.  
 
To support this, leaders and staff from the Infant and Junior schools are fully involved in shaping 
the new school structure, culture, and curriculum. The aim is to ensure that existing strengths 
are not only retained but shared more widely across the school . Senior leaders from the Infant 
school would continue to champion early -years, maintain family-focused values, and support 
colleagues to deliver continuity of practice.  
 
Through this collaborative planning, shared professional development, and a leadership model 
that values the Infant School’s existing expertise, the new primary school will be well placed to 
sustain and build upon the positive outcomes currently achieved for children and families.  
 
 
5. Safeguarding Educational Standards 
• Several respondents raised concerns that, should the Whitehall Schools amalgamate, 
the Local Authority would need to provide increased support and oversight to ensure 
that educational standards area maintained and do not decline. 
 
The Local Authority recognises the importance of sustaining high educational standards at all 
times, and has a team of advisors who support schools. It is also worth highlighting the strong 
performance of both schools in their recent Ofsted inspections, which presents a positive 
opportunity to unite two ‘Good’ schools. Should Cabinet approve the proposal to amalgamate 
the Whitehall Schools, the Local Authority would continue to support the new primary school as 
required, and requested by the school leadership team. 
 
 
6. Potential impact of altered routines on children with EHCPs, SEN‑registered 
pupils, or those with additional needs 
• Several respondents expressed concerns that children with EHCPs, those on the SEN 
register, or those with additional needs could be adversely affected by changes to 
routine and environment. 

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 12 
 
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk  
 
The Local Authority acknowledges the need for stability, consistency, and tailored support for 
children with EHCPs, those on the SEN register, and pupils with additional needs. Both Whitehall 
Infant and Whitehall Junior School already have strong experience in supporting pupils with and 
without additional needs as they transition between the two settings.  We do not expect the 
proposed amalgamation to impact children, and the school would continue with the current 
routine and environment.  
 
7. Great Efficiencies achieved through amalgamation 
 
• Some respondents believe that amalgamating the schools will lead to more efficient 
use of resources and cost savings. They argue that a single, larger school can benefit 
from more shared resources and staff, reducing duplication and lowering operational 
costs.  
 
The Council agree that there is the opportunity for efficiencies and details can be found in 
Appendix 7 and in the supporting documents, including financial, communication, and learning 
efficiencies. 
 
Next steps 
 
Subject to Chief Officer approval, the following steps would be taken:  
 
• Publication of statutory proposal notice and start of formal consultation  
• Formal consultation closes  
• Report presented to Children, Families & Education Select Committee for review 
• Final decision by Cabinet 
 
The above would allow for f urther engagement with the school s, parents and carers, and the 
wider community to share details of the proposed amalgamation if agreed, to enable Officers to 
answer any questions and listen to the concerns and comments of all stakeholders and 
respondents. 
 
Cabinet would be required to make a decision on this proposal within two months from the end 
of the formal representation period. 
  

Chief Officer Decision Notice  Page 13 
 
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CONSULTEE COMMENTS 
 
Corporate Finance comments 
 
Corporate Finance have reviewed this report and concur with the Financial Implications set out 
above, noting the recommendation to progress to the next stage of the statutory process to 
amalgamate Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School. 
 
Furthermore, it is noted the amalgamation will have no direct financial impact on the General 
Fund, all the financial implications are contained within the Dedicated Schools Grant.  
 
Legal comments 
 
There are no legal impediments to the recommendations within the report. 
 
Property comments 
 
N/A 
 
Comments from other relevant service areas 
 
N/A 
 
BACKGROUND PAPERS: 
 
Opening and Closing maintained schools  
Making significant changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained schools.   
 
 
 

Appendix 2

Appendix 3

1 
Pre-publication (Stage One) Consultation: 
Proposal to amalgamate Whitehall Infant 
School and Whitehall Junior School 
Cowley Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 2LX
Consultation period:  
Tuesday 20th January 2026 to 
Friday 13th February 2026 
Appendix 4

 
2 
 
Introduction 
Hillingdon Council are proposing to undertake a formal consultation on the future of Whitehall Infant 
School and Whitehall Junior School to form a single Primary School.  To start this process the local 
authority is conducting a pre-publication (stage one) consultation (referred to as the consultation) in 
line with statutory guidance,  to gather the views of staff, families, local residents and any other 
stakeholders. 
This is a formal process governed by statutory guidance  from the Department for Education (DfE),  
and it is a technical process. As a result of this we are expected to use a range of technical language 
which we will look to  make accessible to all stakeholders. If you have any queries or questions 
regarding the language or descriptions within any of our documents, please do not hesitate to contact 
our team by any of the ways set out in the documentation. 
What is the proposal? 
The proposal is that Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School are amalgamated to form a 
single Primary School from 1st September 2026. The newly formed Primary School would continue 
to use the existing buildings and site as the Infant and Junior schools. The amalgamated school would 
continue to provide 630 places in Reception to Year 6 (90 per year group) and offer places for children 
aged from 3 to 11 years old. The consultation will start on Tuesday 20th January 2026 at 9:00am and 
will end on Friday 13th February 2026 at 5:00pm. 
If you would require this document in another language, please contact either Whitehall Infant 
School, Whitehall Junior School or our team to request this. 
 
Why are we proposing the change? 
Hillingdon Council are seeking your views on a proposal to amalgamate (also referred to as merging) 
Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School.  
The headteacher of the Infant School has confirmed her intention to retire at the end of this 
academic year in August 2026.which means the Infant school meets one of the key triggers outlined 
in the Councils Amalgamation Policy, representing a good opportunity to bring two good schools 
together. 
The new primary school would be built on a strong foundation, benefiting from the existing strengths 
and effective practices of both schools, which already collaborate to serve their local community. Over 
time, this partnership would create further opportunities to enhance whole -school st rategies and 
improve teaching and learning across all key stages.  
What are some of the advantages of amalgamation? 
The Council see significant advantages in combining the existing schools into a new primary school. 
Both schools would benefit from working close r together with some of the key benefits to 
amalgamating Infant and Junior schools including:  
• A consistent approach to the ways in which children are taught and supported, recognising 
the current strengths of both schools. 
 
• Increased opportunities for children in all key stages to come together for pastoral, social and 
creative activities. 
 
• Consistency of parental involvement throughout the primary phase of education by having the 
ability to foster longer-term relationships with families within one school;  
 

 
3 
 
• Communication between school and parents will be simplified, especially for parents with 
children in both schools. It would remove any duplication and ensure a joined up approach for 
events, training and other matters;  
 
• Removes the need for parents to apply for a place at the Junior School as children would 
automatically continue their education as part of one school. 
 
• Increased career development opportunities for staff through the sharing of a wider range of 
expertise and the possibility to gain experience and an understanding of all Primary Key 
Stages. 
 
• Greater opportunity for cost effectiveness through economies of scale e.g. in purchasing, 
ensuring the best provision possible for the children 
 
Will there be any changes to the size of the school and the school buildings? 
No, the size of the school and school buildings will remain exactly the same. The proposed Primary 
school will have a published admission number equal to the sum of the current Infant, Nursery and 
Junior schools’ numbers. Therefore there would be no change to the capacity of the proposed 
amalgamated Primary school, or the use of the buildings as if the decision were made to proceed. 
How would an amalgamation be implemented?  
In order to amalgamate the two Whitehall Schools it is proposed to (technically) close one school and 
expand the age range of the other school. As both schools are community maintained schools, the 
Local Authority are proposing that Whitehall Infant School will (technically) close, and Whitehall Junior 
School would expand its age from 3 to 11  year olds. The new school would then be one Primary 
School. The combined school would retain the same DfE number as the current Junior School. 
Will the school be renamed Whitehall Primary School if the schools amalgamate?   
 
If the schools do progress to amalgamation, then the governing body together with the Senior 
Leadership Team can liaise with staff, parents and carers on a possible new name for the all-through 
primary school.  
What would an amalgamated school look like?  
Whitehall Junior School would increase the age range of children it accepts from the current age 
range to 3 to 11 year olds (from Nursery - Year 6) and would then change its name, to reflect that it 
educates a wider age range. At the same time Whitehall Infant School would formally (technically) 
close. The primary school would provide 90 places per year group from Reception to Year 6  and a 
total of 630 places. All children on roll at the Whitehall Infant School at the point of amalgamation 
would continue as pupils of the primary school.  
Admissions 
If the proposal is agreed and both schools amalgamate, the following would apply:  
• Children at Whitehall Infant School will automatically be enrolled at the newly amalgamated  
Primary school. 
• Children who have applied for Reception places at Whitehall Infant School for Sep tember 
2026 would be offered places at the newly formed Primary school through the standard 
admissions process, using the schools current agreed Admission’s Policy. 

 
4 
 
• Children who have applied to transfer from Whitehall Infant School to Whitehall Junior School 
for September 2026 will automatically have a place at the Primary School.  
Will there be any Financial Implications from amalgamation?  
Currently, both Whitehall Infant School to Whitehall Junior School  receive separate lump sum 
allocations. If the proposed amalgamation is approved by Cabinet, the combined primary school will 
lose one of these “lump sums ” (amounting to approximately £159,000) over a two -year period. 
However, this reduction in funding will be offset by efficiencies gained through economies of scale 
and reduced staffing costs, particularly due to the planned retirement of the Infant School headteacher 
at the end of the 2025/26 academic year.  
As part of the amalgamation, reviewing how resources are allocated and deployed will help the school 
offset the impact of losing one lump sum. This process can be supported by using the Gov.uk  
Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool to compare spending across both schools with similar 
schools in England, identifying opportunities for greater efficiency.  
When would an amalgamation happen if it is approved? 
The amalgamated school could be established from 1 st September 2026, which would be subject to 
the statutory consultation process and approval from Cabinet.  
Who will be the governors of the primary school? 
If amalgamation does go ahead, the Governing Body of Whitehall Junior School will review its 
Instrument of Government to ensure it accurately records the term of office for each category of 
governors needed to support the new school with a balanced and eff ective governance structure. If 
vacancies exist for new governors, they would be recruited following the same process that is 
currently in place.  We would expect governors from the existing Infant and Junior school to be 
involved in this process. 
The consultation process  
The consultation will start on Tuesday 20th January 2026 at 9:00am  and will end on Friday 13 th 
February 2026 at 5:00pm.  
The closing date for online responses is  Friday 13th February 2026 at 5:00pm and any hard copies 
returned by hand or post must be submitted to The London Borough of Hillingdon office by 5:00pm 
Friday 13th February 2026. 
How can I make comments about the proposals? 
Parents, carers, staff, governors and members of the public  are invited  to share their views by 
responding to the consultation by any of the following; completing the on-line consultation form, writing 
directly to the Council, or attending an on-line event during the consultation period as set out below: 
• Parents, carers, staff, governors and members of the public are invited to send their 
comments by replying using the online survey available at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/have-your-
say 
  
• You can also use the response form (or any other written format) at the end of this document 
to record your views. It can be sent to: 
London Borough of Hillingdon 
2W - School Place Planning Team 
Civic Centre, High Street, 
Uxbridge,  

 
5 
 
UB8 1UW 
 
or emailed to: Schoolamalgamations@Hillingdon.gov.uk 
If you or anyone you know would like a paper copy of this form or in any other format, please email  
schoolamalgamations@hillingdon.gov.uk.  
If you would require this document in another language, please contact either Whitehall Infant 
School, Whitehall Junior School or our team to request this. 
 
On-Line drop-in session 
Location  Date/Time  Session  Attendees 
Microsoft Teams 
Join the meeting now          
 
Wednesday 28th 
January 
12:30pm – 1:30pm (all 
stakeholders) 
On-line - Question and 
Answer 
Drop in Session -
Public Meeting 
Microsoft Teams 
Join the meeting now 
Wednesday 28th 
January 
5:00pm – 6:00pm (all 
stakeholders) 
On-line – Question 
and Answer 
Drop in Session – 
Public Meeting 
 
Comments made at the meetings will be recorded in written format and will contribute to the  
consultation outcomes. A separate meeting will be arranged for staff members and governors of both 
Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior Schools only, to discuss any questions they may have. 
The staff members and governors are also welcome to join any or all of the other meetings as well. 
How will the decision about the proposed amalgamation and expansion of the schools 
be made?  
After the consultation is complete, all the responses regardless of whether they are comments in 
support of the proposal, objections, or other suggestions will be collated and considered by the 
Council. Officers will have regard to the information and feedback and  consider whether to request 
approval to progress to a statutory  proposal being published  to amalgamate the two schools . If 
agreed, this process will then commence with the issuing of a Public Notice and the statutory proposal. 
The representation period will last for four weeks during which time a formal consultation  will take 
place. 
 
Officers will present  the proposal to amalgamate the two school to the Children, Families and 
Education Select Committee  for comments during the consultation process . After the formal 
consultation has closed,  the consultation  responses and recommendations will be  submitted to 
Hillingdon Council Cabinet, along with a summary report requesting them to make a final decision on 
whether the schools should amalgamate and agree the date of when this should happen. If Hillingdon 
Council Cabinet decides not to accept a recommendation to amalgamate, the schools will continue 
as separate infant and junior schools. 
 
Guidance for the amalgamation process 

 
6 
 
The proposal would follow two separate guidance processes: Opening and closing maintained 
schools and Making significant changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained schools. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
7 
 
 
 
INFORMAL CONSULTATION RESPONSE FORM 
Proposal to Amalgamate Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School 
The proposal is to bring together Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School to form a 
single 3 form-entry Primary School from 1st September 2026. The newly formed Primary School 
would use the existing buildings and site as the current schools. 
 
We are keen to hear your views about the proposal. and would be grateful if you would spend a few 
minutes to complete this questionnaire. Responses must be submitted to London Borough of 
Hillingdon, 2W - School Place Planning Team, Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW by 
5pm Friday 13th February 2026 and are anonymous.  
You can also complete the form online available at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/have-your-say where 
responses must be received by  
 
1. Do you agree with the proposal to amalgamate Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall 
Junior School to form a single three-form Primary School? 
Please circle as appropriate 
YES     /   NO         /        Don’t know 
2. If you agree with the proposal, please say why you think it is a good idea: 
 
 
 
 


 
8 
 
3. If you disagree with the proposal or ‘don’t know’, please provide details why: 
 
 
4. If you have any other comments, issues or questions, or have any other suggestions, 
please advise them here. 
 
 
The following questions are about you and are optional. Your answers will be kept in strict 
confidence and not shared with any third party.  
 
5. Are you completing this questionnaire as (tick or cross next to the relevant answer):  
 
- A parent/carer/guardian 
 
- A staff member 
 
- A local resident 
 
- Prefer not to say 
 
- Other 
 
- Blank 

 
9 
 
 
6. How many children under the age of 18 live in your household? (a tick of cross next to 
the relevant answer): 
 
- None      -   1 
 
- 2      -   3 
 
- 4      -   5+ 
 
7. Which school(s) does your child(ren) currently attend? 
 
- Whitehall Infant School 
 
- Whitehall Junior School 
 
- Other Primary School in Hillingdon 
 
- Other Secondary School in Hillingdon 
 
- Out of borough Primary School 
 
- Out of borough Secondary School 
 
- N/A 
 
8. If you would like to provide any other comments on the proposal, please put them 
below. 

Appendix 5

Appendix 6

Appendix 7 – Academy Research of the benefits of Amalgamation 
Academic Research of the benefits of Amalgamation 
1. "The Impact of School Amalgamation: A Study of the Effects of Amalgamating Infant 
and Junior Schools"
- Author(s): McGhee, D., & McNaughton, S.
- Date: 2000
- Summary: This study examines the effects of amalgamation on educational
outcomes, demonstrating improvements in school cohesion and student performance.
2. "Moving Towards Primary School: The Benefits of Amalgamation"
- Author(s): Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Manni, L.
- Date: 2007
- Summary: This research highlights the benefits of transitioning to a primary school
model, focusing on continuity in education and improved social and emotional
development for children.
3. "Primary School Amalgamation: The Impact on Educational Attainment and Social
Development"
- Author(s): Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M.
- Date: 2012
- Summary: This paper discusses the relationship between school amalgamation and
higher educational attainment, along with enhanced social skills among students.
4. "A Review of Literature on School Amalgamation: Challenges and Opportunities"
- Author(s): McKinsey & Company
- Date: 2010
- Summary: This literature review synthesizes various studies on school amalgamation,
concluding that merging schools can lead to better resource utilization and improved
educational environments.
5. "The Effects of Amalgamation on School Performance: A Longitudinal Study"
- Author(s): Wiggins, R. & Cummings, C.
- Date: 2015
- Summary: This longitudinal study investigates the long-term effects of amalgamation,
finding positive trends in student achievement and school satisfaction ratings post-
merger.
6. "Amalgamation of Schools: A Policy Review"
- Author(s): Department for Education (DfE)
- Date: 2014
- Summary: This governmental report reviews various amalgamation policies across the

Appendix 10 – Academy Research of the benefits of Amalgamation  
   
 
UK, showing evidence of improved educational outcomes and resource efficiency in 
schools that have merged. 
 
7. "Continuity and Change: The Impact of Primary School Amalgamation" 
- Author(s): Smith, D., & Brown, T. 
- Date: 2016 
- Summary: This research explores how amalgamation fosters continuity in children's 
education, leading to better integration and smoother transitions between year groups. 
 
8. "A Study of the Educational Benefits of Amalgamating Infant and Junior Schools" 
- Author(s): Ball, S. J., & Youdell, D. 
- Date: 2012 
- Summary: This study emphasizes the educational benefits of creating a unified 
primary school system, including enhanced curriculum continuity and improved 
student support services. 
 
9. "The Impact of School Amalgamation on Community: A Case Study Approach" 
- Author(s): Cummings, C., & Dyson, A. 
- Date: 2011 
- Summary: This case study highlights the positive community impacts of school 
amalgamation, including increased parental involvement and stronger community ties. 
10. "School Amalgamation and Student Outcomes: Evidence from the UK" 
- Author(s): McMahon, D. & O'Neill, R. 
- Date: 2018 
- Summary: This research assesses student outcomes before and after amalgamation, 
finding significant improvements in academic performance and social integration.
Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions

Outcome of the pre-publication proposal to amalgamate Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School – Spring 2026

Report Document

Decision / Minutes Document

Text extracted from PDFs
