Middle Street Primary School independent learning review

An independent learning review looking into past governance arrangements at Middle Street Primary School in central Brighton has begun.

In June 2025, the council appointed an Interim Executive Board (IEB) to address governance and financial challenges the school.

In January this year, the board concluded that they believed the school did not have a viable future due to the challenges faced and recommended to the council that it should close at the end of the current academic year. 

Following public consultation and the statutory process, councillors agreed to close the school at the Special Full Council meeting on Thursday 21 May. The school will formally close on 31 August 2026.

As part of the process, it was also agreed to carry out an independent learning review to identify any learning and address any concerns raised by parents and carers.  

Independent review

The aim of the review is to identify key lessons for the council and its education partners to bring in improvements in future practice and decision‑making.

The reviewer will talk to a few key stakeholders and look at key documentation in order to:

• consider how concerns raised by parents, carers and others regarding leadership and governance were received, understood and responded to by relevant parties
• review the timeliness, clarity and coordination of actions taken by the governing board, IEB and the local authority once formal involvement began
• examine governance, oversight and escalation arrangements, including the operation of interim governance
• identify strengths, gaps and opportunities for improvement in systems, processes and communication.

The review will not be duplicating any employment, disciplinary or statutory investigations or looking at matters outside the governing body and local authority’s statutory role.

At the conclusion, the independent reviewer will produce a written report setting out the key learning, themes and clear, practical recommendations focused on improving systems. The key learning points will be shared publicly.