in november 2015 the creative education trust launched a consultation on the possibility of merging its academies in rugeley. the plans would see the new school operating over two sites, with pupils in academic years 7, 8 and 9 housed at the existing fair oak academy site as a lower school and years 10, 11, 12 and 13 housed at the existing hagley park academy site as an upper school. the merger commenced on september 2016, and the hart school opened in its place, using the hagley park site to house 'upper school' years (10, 11 ,12 and 13).