Sustainable Education in Torpoint Consultation

On 29^th May 2026, Cornwall Council put forward statutory proposals to merge (otherwise known as an amalgamate) Torpoint Nursery and Infant School (TNIS) and Carbeile Junior School into a single through-primary school with an on-site nursery provision. To facilitate this merger, it is necessary to formally close TNIS and enlarge/change the age range of Carbeile Junior School to accommodate the displaced pupils on the existing Junior School site. It is intended that Torpoint Nursery and Infant School will close on 31 August 2027.

At the Individual Decision Day held on 15^th July 2026, the Portfolio Holder for Children, Families and Schools approved the proposals without modification, but subject to the granting of planning permission to enable any necessary infrastructure and building works (the extent of which to be confirmed) to take place.

The implementation date for the decision is intended to be 23^rd July 2026; after which Cornwall Council will work with the schools and other stakeholders to plan and deliver the necessary next steps to enable the proposals to be implemented.

The decision and associated documents are publicly available via the Council and Democracy pages on the Cornwall Council website

The Representation Period

During the period Monday 20^th April 2026, to Monday 18^th May 2026 Cornwall Council sought your ideas, feedback and views on the full statutory proposals it had put forward.

This period was known as the “Representation Period” and it formed part of a wider, formal consultation process, which looks like this:

During the Representation Period, Cornwall Council sought to consult with stakeholders (including, in this case, parents and carers of both school-aged and non-statutory school age children, local residents and its employees) around the full proposals it had put forward. Any person or organisation could submit comments on the proposal, to the local authority, to be taken into account by itself, as the decision maker.

There were two ways to provide views and feedback:

• Completion of our Survey

This was designed to enable stakeholders to feedback their support, opposition, comments and questions relating to the full statutory proposal.

• Attendance at takeholder Meetings

In addition, three meetings were arranged, at which stakeholders had an opportunity to hear more about the full statutory proposals put forward, hear answers to frequently asked questions, and share questions and ideas of their own.

These meetings were led by Officers of Cornwall Council and representatives of both schools’ senior leadership teams and their governing bodies were also present.

Officers of Cornwall Council also made themselves available for informal conversations on the gate of each school at either morning drop off, or afternoon pick up, in advance of the meetings held at those schools.

Outcomes from the Formal Representation Period

30 participants responded to our online survey. Whilst the vast majority of these were parents or carers at a child currently educated at one of the schools in Torpoint, we also received survey feedback from local residents, local businesses and community organisations as well as other interested parties.

Overall, 40% of those responding to the survey were strongly supportive of the statutory proposals, with a further 16.7% showing support.

20% of survey participants indicated that they opposed the statutory proposals, with a further 20% opposing them strongly.

3.3 % of survey participants indicated they were neutral or not sure about the proposals.

We were once again delighted with the turnout at the stakeholder meetings. Those who attended were able to hear more about the formal statutory proposals put forward, hear answers to frequently asked questions and share questions and ideas of their own. We later published FAQs and Answers to these on the Consultation webpage.

Recommendations

Following the end of the Representation Period the decision maker (Cornwall Council) is satisfied that the proposer (Cornwall Council) has had regard for the statutory process; and has considered ALL the views and feedback submitted during the Representation Period, including all support for, objections to, and comments on the proposals. It is consequently the recommendation of Senior Officers of the Education Service at Cornwall Council (having regard to the statutory guidance for decision makers) that:

Cornwall Council approves the proposals without modification but subject to the granting of planning permission to enable any necessary infrastructure and building works (the extent of which to be confirmed) to take place.

On 15^th July 2026, the Portfolio Holder for Children, Families and Schools approved the proposals without modification, but subject to the granting of planning permission to enable any necessary infrastructure and building works (the extent of which to be confirmed) to take place.

What happens next?

The implementation date for the decision is intended to be 23^rd July 2026; after which Cornwall Council will work with the schools and other stakeholders to plan and deliver the necessary next steps to enable the proposals to be implemented.