Hove Park School to move onto a single site from 2028
Pupils at Hove Park School, which will move onto a single site at Nevill Campus from 2028 (Image: Hove Park School)
Hove Park School will move from two campuses to one, after councillors agreed to bring the whole school together on its Nevill Campus site from September 2028.
The decision, taken at the Cabinet meeting on Thursday 16 July, ends the school's long-running split-site arrangement. At present, Year 7 and 8 pupils study at the Valley Campus before moving to the Nevill Campus in Year 9. From September 2028, every year group will be based on a single, better-resourced site.
Why the school is coming together
The move is driven by falling pupil numbers. School funding is tied directly to how many pupils a school has, and Hove Park has already cut its Published Admission Number – the maximum it can take each year – from 300 down to 180. Running two sites for a shrinking roll has become harder to sustain, and the council says a single campus will ease that pressure and support the school's longer-term financial health.
There are educational reasons too. Bringing everyone onto one site is intended to give pupils continuity of teaching, pastoral support and friendships across their whole secondary education, rather than switching campuses partway through. It should also let staff collaborate more closely on the curriculum. A significant part of the case is a much improved offer for children with special educational needs, with purpose-designed facilities, quiet rooms and sensory spaces that a split site can't easily provide.
"We know that pupils, parents and carers and the wider community feel passionate about Hove Park School."
Councillor Jacob Taylor, Deputy Leader of the Council
Cllr Taylor thanked everyone who shared their views through the consultation, engagement events and the Statutory Notice period, saying the feedback had been carefully considered. He said consolidating the school would improve educational outcomes while maintaining its distinctive culture and ethos, and help ensure the community can benefit from the school for many years to come.
What it means for pupils
For almost every pupil, nothing about where they finish their education changes: all current students will continue at Hove Park on the consolidated Nevill Campus, and no pupil will be displaced. Just one group sees its path altered.
Building work in two phases
To fit the whole school on one site, the Nevill Campus needs upgrading, and the construction is planned in two phases.
Dining room extension
Additional toilet accommodation
SEND provision relocated to the Modern Foreign Language block
Associated drainage and utility diversions
Construction of a new 3G artificial pitch
How the decision was reached
The council ran a consultation on its Your Voice platform from 13 April to 25 May 2026 with parents, carers, staff, governors and the wider community, alongside three engagement events. It received 109 responses to the online consultation and two email submissions. A statutory notice followed on 8 June, opening a four-week representation period for further comment before the Cabinet decision.
This was not the first round of engagement. An earlier consultation in 2025 drew 169 responses, of which 60% were opposed, 22% unsure and 18% in support. A recurring concern then was the lack of design drawings for the Nevill works, so the council commissioned architectural designs ahead of re-consulting so the community could see a clearer picture of the plans.
The change forms part of the council's wider School Sustainability Strategy, which aims to make the best use of the city's school estate, address surplus capacity and keep schools financially and educationally sustainable, as enrolment falls across Brighton & Hove.
No decision has yet been made on the future of the Valley Campus site. The council says it will look at the options in line with the relevant statutory requirements and guidance. The changes take effect from 1 September 2028. You can read the council's own documents through the links below.