In a meeting held by the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning, Surrey County Council approved a proposal to extend the age range of Ewhurst Church of England Infant School to include Key Stage 2 education, effectively turning it into a primary school from September 2026. This decision aims to address falling pupil numbers and ensure the school's sustainability.

Extension of Age Range at Ewhurst C of E Infant School

Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning, Councillor Jonathan Hulley approved the proposal to extend the age range at Ewhurst Church of England Infant School from 4-7 years to 4-11 years, making it a primary school from September 2026. The decision was made after considering a report presented by Sarah Jeffery, the Service Manager responsible for Education Place Planning, and taking into account the results of a public consultation.

Sarah Jeffery explained that many local authorities, including Surrey, have been experiencing a decline in pupil numbers, leading to challenges for schools, particularly smaller village infant schools. She noted that in Surrey, there are 56 fewer reception classes than there were eight years ago. Ewhurst C of E Infant School, despite being rated as good by Ofsted¹ in July 2025, has been affected by falling enrollment due to the lack of a clear pathway for its pupils into Key Stage 2. The absence of a linked junior school has led parents to seek places in all-through primary schools to ensure continuity of education for their children.

The proposal to extend the age range aims to provide continuity of education for pupils and stabilize the school's pupil population. Without this change, the school's budget and the quality of education it provides would be at risk. The school will expand incrementally, with the first cohort of pupils transitioning from year two to year three in September 2026, and leaving the school at the end of year six in July 2030. To accommodate the additional pupils, the school's capacity will increase by 15 places, from 90 to 105. Classes will be taught in mixed-age groups to ensure that infant class size regulations are not breached.

A consultation on the proposal was conducted between 1 July and 26 September, with 250 responses received, the overwhelming majority of which were in support. Two consultation meetings were held at the school, with around 20 people attending each, and the response was again largely supportive. The governing body of the school also applied to the Office of the School Adjudicator for an in-year variation to reduce the published admission number (PAN) of the school to 15, which was approved on 19 September, as detailed in Annex 1 OSA VAR2603.

Councillor Jonathan Hulley supported the recommendation, stating that the change would support sustainability at the school. He also noted that the proposals had been the subject of consultation.