We consulted over 3000 stakeholders, including parents, staff, local councillors and MPs, Richmond 
Primary and Secondary Heads, Achieving for Children and other local community groups. Coombe Academy Trust carried out a similar consultation with their stakeholders, and the Department of Education is aware of the proposed merger and consultation. During November, face to face-to-face meetings were organised where feedback and concerns could be raised, and a consultation email address has been available to send in further comments. 

The consultation is now closed.

You have told us that you understand the reasons for the merger. 

You told us your biggest worries are about the specialisms, including Therapy, within our schools being taken away and if money and resources intended for our pupils would be used in mainstream schools. 

You have also given us your thoughts and wishes for how Auriga Schools can expand their offer for your children. 

We can reassure you that funding will only be spent on the support for that child or for the specialist provision it's intended for. This includes funding for Therapy. 

Please read the documents below for additional information and details.

Your feedback will be considered by both Trust Boards in their December meetings and if approved, the merger will happen on 1 September 2026.  Updates will be via email and on our websites.

Thank you for your participation.

Ivan Pryce                                          Jonathan Pallas
CEO                                                      Chair of Trustees 
Auriga Academy Trust                  Auriga Academy Trust

We have been talking about this in class, focussing on the real dangers the firefighters are facing each day to bring the fires under control, risking their lives to save others. To develop this discussion and link it to potential careers, we thought it would be a fantastic idea to invite our local firefighters, the London Fire Brigade, to school to talk about their work, what it is like to be a firefighter and what you need to do if you think you would like a career in firefighting.

We had prepared a full day of lessons to explore topics such as the Great Fire of London, Health & Safety at home and the workplace and research about the London Fire Brigade.

We downloaded some activity sheets from the London Fire Brigade website to use in class to do and to spark discussion around the role of firefighting.  

There was much excitement in the morning as we waited for the team to arrive just after lunch all kitted out in their uniforms, together with the fire engine, a little late, having just been out on a job!

The firefighters talked to the students about how they became firefighters and how the fire engine works, showing them all the equipment and invited them to ask questions and climb in the cabin if they wanted to so they could get a real sense of what it is like inside the fire engine going out on call - which of course they all did.

The students were very engaged and asked some very interesting questions, such as what their uniform/clothes were made of and how much it costs to run a fire engine ~ Georgie, year 11

- at the end of the visit Georgie said he wanted to become a firefighter.

Dylan, year 7, said "I want to be a fireman" too!

We cannot thank the firefighting team at the London Fire Brigade enough for making the time to come to see us, as we know that they are incredibly busy and have such an important job to do. We may now have more of an appreciation of their hard work keeping us all safe!

Here are a couple of links you may wish to have a look at with your child at home:

• Find out all about London Fire Brigade

https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/about-us/

• Career -  Become a Firefighter

https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/careers/

• History and Stories:

https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/museum/london-fire-brigade-history-and-stories/