diff --git a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-30-server-client-split-design.md b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-30-server-client-split-design.md
index 67ba55d..fe57f96 100644
--- a/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-30-server-client-split-design.md
+++ b/docs/superpowers/specs/2026-07-30-server-client-split-design.md
@@ -107,6 +107,41 @@ shell but to stop the other ~750 lines being attached to it.
 All-through schools render both the KS2 and KS4 section sets. The shared library
 makes this natural rather than duplicated.
 
+### CSS strategy
+
+Shared section components need one stylesheet, but the two existing CSS modules
+disagree. Measured on `cab7b4f`: `SchoolDetailView.module.css` defines 142
+classes, `SecondarySchoolDetailView.module.css` 112, with 79 names in common — of
+which 22 have different rules, and 16 of those are used inside section markup by
+both views (`.card`, `.sectionTitle`, `.metricCard`, `.metricValue`,
+`.metricsGrid`, `.tableWrapper`, the `heroStat*` set, the `genderSplit*` set,
+`.historyToggle`, `.ofstedReportLink`).
+
+The 16 conflicts split into two kinds:
+
+**Incidental drift (14 classes).** One view carries defensive overflow properties
+the other lacks — `min-width: 0`, `overflow-wrap: break-word`,
+`word-break: break-word`, `max-width: 100%`, `-webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch`.
+These are independent bug-fixes that were never back-ported, not design
+decisions. **Resolution: take the union.** No visible change, and it fixes latent
+long-school-name overflow on whichever page currently lacks the property.
+
+**Real visual differences (2 classes).**
+
+| Class | Primary | Secondary |
+| --- | --- | --- |
+| `.genderBar` | `height: 6px`, `background: var(--border-color, #e5dfd5)`, `width: 100%` | `height: 4px`, `background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08)`, `margin-top: 0.45rem` |
+| `.heroStatValue` | `gap: 0.5rem`, `justify-content: flex-start`, Playfair fallback includes Georgia | `gap: 0.4rem`, Playfair fallback omits Georgia |
+
+**Resolution: keep both looks as distinct classes** and have the owning section
+take a `variant: 'primary' | 'secondary'` prop selecting between them. Zero
+intended visual change, one shared stylesheet, and the divergence becomes
+explicit rather than accidental.
+
+The merged stylesheet is `components/school/schoolSections.module.css`. Shell-only
+rules stay behind in the per-view modules. Classes outside the 79 shared names
+move across unchanged.
+
 ### Prerequisite: national averages move server-side
 
 `SchoolDetailView.tsx:173-179` fetches `/api/national-averages` in a `useEffect`,
@@ -174,13 +209,16 @@ bisectable:
 1. `test:` jest.setup additions (IntersectionObserver, scrollTo), chart mocks, fixtures
 2. `test:` characterization tests against the current components — all green before anything moves
 3. `refactor:` server-side `nationalAverages` in `page.tsx`; drop both `useEffect` fetches
-4. `refactor:` extract `components/school/sectionShared.tsx` and the server sections (pure moves, no logic edits)
-5. `refactor:` add `SchoolDetailShell` and `AdmissionsViewToggle`; rewire `page.tsx`; delete the two old views
-6. `chore:` delete the four unused SWR hooks; drop `swr` from `package.json`
-7. `test:` extend `e2e/journeys.spec.ts` with detail-page assertions
+4. `refactor:` extract the shared derived-flags/`navItems` module
+5. `style:` merge the two CSS modules into `components/school/schoolSections.module.css` per the CSS strategy above
+6. `refactor:` extract `components/school/sectionShared.tsx` and the server sections (pure moves, no logic edits)
+7. `refactor:` add `SchoolDetailShell` and `AdmissionsViewToggle`; rewire `page.tsx`; delete the two old views
+8. `chore:` delete the four unused SWR hooks; drop `swr` from `package.json`
+9. `test:` extend `e2e/journeys.spec.ts` with detail-page assertions
 
-Commits 4 and 5 move the bytes; commits 1 and 2 are the safety net that makes
-them safe. Commit 6 lands late so it cannot confuse a bisect.
+Commits 6 and 7 move the bytes; commits 1 and 2 are the safety net that makes
+them safe. Commit 5 is isolated so a visual regression bisects to the CSS merge
+rather than to a JSX move. Commit 8 lands late so it cannot confuse a bisect.
 
 ## Verification
 
@@ -220,7 +258,12 @@ recorded in the PR, but no new CI gate is added in this change.
 
 **DOM drift.** Moving ~750 lines of JSX risks subtle markup changes that CSS
 modules depend on. Commits 4 and 5 are strict moves and the section CSS moves
-with them; any styling change is out of scope.
+with them; any styling change beyond the CSS-merge rules above is out of scope.
+
+**CSS merge.** Merging two large stylesheets is the highest-risk part of the
+work. The union rule is mechanical, but a missed conflict shows up as a visual
+regression that no unit test catches. The merge gets its own commit, and the
+16 known conflicts are enumerated above so they can be verified individually.
 
 **All-through schools.** The trickiest case: `isAllThrough` gates KS2 content
 back on for a secondary-phase school (`app/school/[slug]/page.tsx:150-154`). It