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Humanists UK has welcomed Surrey County Council\u2019s decision to pause controversial plans<\/a> that would have seen Merrow Junior School, a school with no religious character, absorbed into a new Church of England primary school.<\/p>\n At a meeting on 8 September, the council\u2019s Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning agreed not to proceed with the proposed amalgamation of Merrow Church of England Controlled Infant School and Merrow Junior School. Instead, council officers will explore whether the two schools could remain separate while being co-located on the current junior school site.<\/p>\n The original proposal would have closed Merrow Junior School in August 2027 and expanded the Church of England infant school into an all-through Church of England primary school. Council documents said that making the resulting school a Church school was considered the preferred way of dealing with financial pressures caused by falling pupil numbers.<\/p>\n Humanists UK opposed the proposal, arguing that it would unnecessarily convert provision currently available to the whole community into a school with a religious character. In the first consultation, 67% of respondents said<\/a> the proposed Church of England amalgamation was the \u2018most contentious issue\u2019 of the plan. When Surrey subsequently consulted on an alternative option to create a foundation primary school with no religious character, Humanists UK encouraged local residents<\/a> to support that more inclusive approach.<\/p>\n Humanists UK\u2019s Policy and Campaigns Manager, Lewis Young, said:<\/p>\n \u2018There was never a good justification to close and merge Merrow Junior School into a Church of England school simply because the two schools need a more sustainable future, so Surrey Council\u2019s decision to pause this proposal is a welcome one.<\/p>\n \u2018Local people made it clear from the outset that the religious character of the proposed school mattered to them. We are pleased Surrey Council has listened to those concerns and stepped away from the original proposal. Whatever long-term arrangement is ultimately agreed, it should protect inclusive school provision for children of all religions and beliefs.\u2019<\/p>\n Notes<\/p>\n For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Head of Press and Campaign Communications Nathan Stilwell at press@humanists.uk<\/a> or phone 0203 675 0959 (media only).<\/p>\n Read more about our work on state-funded faith schools<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Read how widespread public opposition forced Surrey Council to rethink school merger plans<\/a>.<\/p>\n