The Downs Malvern Prep has announced plans to move onto the site of its “parent” school Malvern College.
Its headmaster Andy Nuttall said it was “mindful of the plight of other schools” and that the move would “ensure our community continues to thrive for generations to come”.
The Downs Malvern, voted , will relocate to the Malvern College site from the start of the 2027 school year.
The school, which is currently located 2.7 miles from Malvern College, has taken the decision 鈥渢o ensure it is on the front-foot in securing its long-term future鈥, a press release said.
The move, which would 鈥渋mprove the education experience for families鈥澛燾ould become a model for other schools to follow, it said.
Founded in 1900, the 200-pupil The Downs Malvern prep is currently located on a 55-acre site in Colwall, Herefordshire on the slopes of the Malvern Hills. Malvern College is located nearby on a stunning 250 acre estate.
鈥淏uildings do not constitute a school; they simply accommodate it,鈥 said Mr Nuttall.
鈥淎 Downs Malvern education is characterised by a vibrant, inspiring and welcoming family atmosphere. We are a community and that will not change.
鈥淭here is no denying the challenges faced by our sector. The Downs Malvern remains a thriving community, but we are mindful of the plight of other schools. We are planning ahead now to ensure our community continues to thrive for generations to come. We see this as the start of a new chapter for The Downs Malvern which offers many exciting opportunities.鈥
His comments were echoed by the headmaster of the , Keith Metcalfe, who said bigger schools would need to act fast to safeguard the future of some of the country鈥檚 oldest educational institutions.
鈥淔or generations parents have entrusted the care of their children to us, and we take that responsibility extremely seriously,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e fully recognise the responsibility of our position in our community and so in safeguarding the future of our schools, we also safeguard the support we provide to local pupils through bursaries, our position as a large employer in the area and the important positive economic impact that our schools make within the Malvern area.
鈥淲e are determined that the Downs Malvern will not suffer the same fate as other small schools in the sector. Indeed we believe this is a time to be bold, enhancing the educational offer.鈥
The school also recently launched its nursery, Mini Malvern, accepting enrolments from age 6 months to 3 years.
Plans announced to parents this week include repurposing existing Malvern College spaces to accommodate the move, with nearly fifteen acres of land made available to include The Downs鈥 smallholding, Forest School, astroturf, the Mini Malvern Nursery and other facilities.
鈥淎s well as having access to the excellent facilities and staff that the Malvern College campus has to offer, our community can also redesign the nursery, pre-prep and prep schools on the new site in the way we want them to be,” added Mr Nuttal.
“It is our firm intention to retain all the current facilities that our community values, while creating additional opportunities for our young learners”.
The move will take place from September 2027, with steering groups of teachers, parents and pupils being invited to provide their input on the development and design of the new facilities.
