Chiltern Education Hub FAQ
Your Questions Answered
Chiltern Education Hub will bring additional educational opportunities to the site of Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, making better use of its existing buildings, facilities and grounds.
Here we answer your questions about the plans, the future of the secondary school and what the changes will mean for students and families.
Understanding Chiltern Education Hub
1. What is an education hub?
An education hub is a campus where different, separate educational settings are based on the same site. Each has its own identity and purpose, with opportunities to share facilities, resources and expertise.
At Chiltern Education Hub, Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge will remain a mainstream secondary school, alongside the separate educational settings that already share its site. Additional alternative provision will be provided by Maiden Erlegh Trust through Horizons Alternative Provision Academy.
2. What is Chiltern Education Hub?
Chiltern Education Hub is the name for the educational campus being developed at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE).
The campus already includes MECE, Bishopswood School and Kingfisher Nursery. With some buildings and spaces currently unused or underused, the plans will make better use of the existing facilities and large, green site to provide additional educational opportunities, including alternative provision, vocational learning, tutoring and Forest School.
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge mainstream secondary school will remain at the heart of the campus.
3. Is Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge being replaced by Chiltern Education Hub?
No. Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE) will remain a mainstream secondary school, moving towards a smaller two-form-entry model.
Chiltern Education Hub is the name for the wider educational campus, which includes Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, Bishopswood School and Kingfisher Nursery, with new alternative provision being added by Maiden Erlegh Trust.
MECE will remain at the heart of the campus.
4. Is Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge becoming an alternative provision school?
No. Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE) will remain a mainstream secondary school.
The new alternative provision at Chiltern Education Hub will be provided separately by Maiden Erlegh Trust through Horizons Alternative Provision Academy.
MECE and Horizons will be distinct educational settings, each with its own purpose. One campus does not mean one school but it does mean more opportunities.
5. What is Horizons Alternative Provision Academy?
Horizons Alternative Provision Academy is part of Maiden Erlegh Trust and provides different learning pathways for children and young people who would benefit from a different approach to learning.
At Chiltern Education Hub, the vision includes small-scale Forest School, small-group and one-to-one tutoring and specialist vocational courses.
Horizons will operate separately from Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE), which will remain a mainstream secondary school. There may also be opportunities for MECE students to access some of these new learning options where relevant.
The future of Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge
6. What does two-form entry mean?
Two-form entry (2FE) means a school which has two classes in each year group, typically around 60 students per year group.
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE) will move towards this smaller secondary school model over time, deliberately building on the benefits it can offer students.
7. Why is MECE moving towards a smaller school model?
The number of secondary-age children in the local area has reduced, affecting student numbers at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE).
In addition, our experience of operating as a smaller secondary school has shown us the benefits this can offer many young people. Benefits which include a close-knit community where students are known well.
Moving towards a two-form-entry model will build deliberately on these benefits while supporting the school's long-term viability.
8. What will happen to year groups that currently have more than two classes?
The move towards two-form entry will be gradual. Year groups that currently have more than two classes will continue with their existing arrangements unchanged.
Two-form entry is the planned model for MECE, with the potential to increase the number of classes in future if demand grows.
9. What are the benefits of a smaller secondary school?
Different school environments suit different young people.
At Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, smaller numbers and a large, green site create a distinctive environment: a close-knit community where students are known well, relationships are strong and there is space to learn and develop.
This sits alongside high academic expectations, strong individual support and a wide range of enrichment opportunities.
9. What will stay the same at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge?
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE) will remain a mainstream secondary school, with high academic expectations, strong support, enrichment opportunities and a focus on preparing students for their next steps.
The school's close-knit community, where students are known well, will remain central as it moves towards a smaller two-form-entry model.
10. Why choose Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge for secondary education?
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge offers a mainstream secondary education with high academic expectations, strong individual support and a wide range of enrichment opportunities.
Its smaller size and large, green site provide a close-knit environment where students are known well and relationships are strong.
The school is part of Maiden Erlegh Trust, an established family of schools with a strong reputation for high-quality education, giving MECE access to shared expertise, resources and opportunities.
11. What external recognition has Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge received?
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE) has received recognition through its recent Ofsted inspection and the national Edurio Awards.
Ofsted recognised that pupils achieve well across the curriculum and highlighted the school's highly effective careers education, which prepares students for their next steps.
In the Edurio Awards, MECE placed in the top ten schools nationally for KS3 Happiness and Parent Partnership (Secondary).
Further information is available: click here to read about our latest Ofsted and click here to read about our two national awards.
Opportunities for students
12. What new educational opportunities are planned at Chiltern Education Hub?
Plans for Chiltern Education Hub include vocational learning, small-group and one-to-one tutoring, and Forest School.
Potential vocational courses include trades, hair and beauty, and motor mechanics.
By making better use of some of the unused or underused buildings, facilities and outdoor spaces at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge, the Hub will provide additional opportunities for children and young people to learn and develop skills.
13. How will Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge students benefit from Chiltern Education Hub?
Students at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE) will have opportunities to benefit from some of the additional facilities, learning opportunities and expertise being developed through Chiltern Education Hub.
For example, plans include opportunities for MECE students to access the new specialist vocational learning as part of their education where relevant.
Further details will be shared as the plans develop.
14. Will the different educational settings share facilities?
Each educational setting at Chiltern Education Hub will remain separate, including Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE), Bishopswood School, Kingfisher Nursery and the new provision from Horizons Alternative Provision Academy.
There may be opportunities for MECE students to use some of the new facilities developed for Horizons. MECE and Horizons may also use the playing fields, with access timetabled at different times.
Bishopswood School and Kingfisher Nursery will remain separate, as they are now.
15. When will work on Chiltern Education Hub begin?
New capital investment in Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE) and the wider site is planned to begin in spring 2027.
The work will take place in phases, including making better use of existing buildings and spaces for the additional educational provision.
Further details will be shared as plans progress.
16. Will there be investment in Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge itself?
Yes. The plans for Chiltern Education Hub include investment in Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (MECE) and the wider campus.
Later phases are planned to include improvements to MECE's sports facilities, with some works linked to the proposed land sale.
17. Where can I find out more?
Maiden Erlegh Trust will continue to share updates about the development of Chiltern Education Hub over time as plans develop further.
Follow Maiden Erlegh Trust on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest news and updates about Chiltern Education Hub.
