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| Pupil numbers: 'If school closes, I may not see my friends again' | Pupil numbers: 'If school closes, I may not see my friends again' |
| (10 days later) | |
| Leo's primary school is less than 40% full and could be shut by the council | Leo's primary school is less than 40% full and could be shut by the council |
| Some primary schools in London are struggling for pupil numbers and are in danger of being closed by their local authorities. | Some primary schools in London are struggling for pupil numbers and are in danger of being closed by their local authorities. |
| Seven-year-old Leo's school in Earl's Court is one of them - leaving Leo and his cohort worried. | Seven-year-old Leo's school in Earl's Court is one of them - leaving Leo and his cohort worried. |
| "If the school closes, my friends will go to different schools and we might not see each other again," he said. | "If the school closes, my friends will go to different schools and we might not see each other again," he said. |
| Lyla, 10, is also anxious: "It would be really sad because the school has been with me for so much years and is stuck in my heart. If I move, it won't be the same." | Lyla, 10, is also anxious: "It would be really sad because the school has been with me for so much years and is stuck in my heart. If I move, it won't be the same." |
| And Lyla's mother Gemini said she was concerned about finding a school that would also accept her son, who is about to start reception. | And Lyla's mother Gemini said she was concerned about finding a school that would also accept her son, who is about to start reception. |
| Gemini, left, is worried about finding a school that will accept her daughter and son, if her daughter's primary school is closed | Gemini, left, is worried about finding a school that will accept her daughter and son, if her daughter's primary school is closed |
| Across the country parents are finding out where their children have been offered a primary school place, but in London there will be fewer parents waiting to hear than in previous years. | Across the country parents are finding out where their children have been offered a primary school place, but in London there will be fewer parents waiting to hear than in previous years. |
| The number of pupils enrolling in primary schools in the capital is falling, with Inner London appearing to be the hardest hit. | The number of pupils enrolling in primary schools in the capital is falling, with Inner London appearing to be the hardest hit. |
| It has a forecast 12% drop in the number of pupil rolls from 2023-24 to 2028-29 - a reduction of nearly 27,000 places needed by 2028-29. | |
| The board of governors at St Cuthbert with St Matthias CofE Primary School has launched a consultation about its plan to close the school, a proposal that parents and children are fighting. | |
| It is running at less than 40% of its pupil capacity, with 83 pupils - and just 11 have signed up to start reception in September. | It is running at less than 40% of its pupil capacity, with 83 pupils - and just 11 have signed up to start reception in September. |
| Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council (RBKC) said it was aware of the consultation. | Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council (RBKC) said it was aware of the consultation. |
| Catherine Faulks, lead member for family and children's services at RBKC, said children would have alternative school places "secured as swiftly and smoothly as possible" if the primary school closed. | |
| The falling pupil numbers have an impact on finances. | The falling pupil numbers have an impact on finances. |
| Schools in London receive between £7,000 and £9,000 per pupil based on the National Funding Formula. | |
| So empty school places mean schools receive less funding from the government. | So empty school places mean schools receive less funding from the government. |
| Jon Andrews, head of analysis at the Education Policy Institute, said: "It costs just as much to put a teacher in front of a class of 25 pupils as it does in front of a class of 30, so schools might struggle to find the efficiencies in the way we would expect." | Jon Andrews, head of analysis at the Education Policy Institute, said: "It costs just as much to put a teacher in front of a class of 25 pupils as it does in front of a class of 30, so schools might struggle to find the efficiencies in the way we would expect." |
| Jon Andrews said schools might struggle to "find the efficiencies" | Jon Andrews said schools might struggle to "find the efficiencies" |
| In Hackney, the proposed closure of St. Dominic's Catholic Primary School in Homerton resulted in strike action. | In Hackney, the proposed closure of St. Dominic's Catholic Primary School in Homerton resulted in strike action. |
| Carly Slingsby, a teacher and member of the National Education Union, said she had been told schools were closing because of falling rolls which were affecting most of London. | |
| "We have some financial debt as well, so our school has been chosen to go on a list," she said. | "We have some financial debt as well, so our school has been chosen to go on a list," she said. |
| Ms Slingsby said she wanted Hackney Council to lobby the government over the funding formula, which "clearly isn't working for our London-based schools". | Ms Slingsby said she wanted Hackney Council to lobby the government over the funding formula, which "clearly isn't working for our London-based schools". |
| "If they don't change that, we are going to see loved schools all across London closing down in the same way that we are, and that is heartbreaking," she said. | |
| Carly Slingsby, teacher at St. Dominic's Catholic Primary School, is worried the school may be closed | Carly Slingsby, teacher at St. Dominic's Catholic Primary School, is worried the school may be closed |
| Six primary schools in Hackney are set to be affected from September, which a spokesperson for the council said was in response to "the ongoing significant fall in pupil numbers across Hackney and the majority of London boroughs". | Six primary schools in Hackney are set to be affected from September, which a spokesperson for the council said was in response to "the ongoing significant fall in pupil numbers across Hackney and the majority of London boroughs". |
| They said the fall had worsened the financial position of some of the schools to the point that it was no longer possible for the council to maintain them - with 23% of reception places in Hackney unfilled in October 2024. | |
| A final decision on proposals to close or merge Hackney borough primary schools is due to be announced on 22 April. | A final decision on proposals to close or merge Hackney borough primary schools is due to be announced on 22 April. |
| 'Brexit and gentrification' | 'Brexit and gentrification' |
| The reasons for the fall in numbers are multiple - declining birth rates, Brexit, gentrification and the cost of living in London are all contributing factors. | |
| Private rents in Hackney rose to an average of £2,516 in February 2025 - an annual increase of 13.6%, according to the ONS, outstripping the rise across London. | |
| Ms Slingsby said east London "has a massive cost-of-living crisis, rents are high, gentrification is happening all over the place, and families who come to our types of schools can't afford to live in the area. | |
| "When they move out they take their entire families with them and that means less funding for schools like mine." | "When they move out they take their entire families with them and that means less funding for schools like mine." |
| London councils including Hackney and Lambeth have previously said that people leaving the capital as a result of Brexit is a contributing factor. | |
| Some London boroughs have already seen the effects of falling rolls. | Some London boroughs have already seen the effects of falling rolls. |
| Lambeth, Southwark and Westminster have seen the biggest drops from 2018-19 to 2023-24. | |
| Southwark has seen a 3,420 fall in primary school pupils. Lambeth has seen a reduction of 2,563 and Westminster a fall of 2,231 over the same time period. | Southwark has seen a 3,420 fall in primary school pupils. Lambeth has seen a reduction of 2,563 and Westminster a fall of 2,231 over the same time period. |
| Lambeth is planning on closing two schools and amalgamating four others. Southwark has plans to close two primary schools. | Lambeth is planning on closing two schools and amalgamating four others. Southwark has plans to close two primary schools. |
| There is one London borough, however, proving to be an exception. | There is one London borough, however, proving to be an exception. |
| Havering has seen a 2,028 increase in the number of school places required from 2018-19 to 2023-4. | |
| Havering Council said it was lobbying the government for more funding to help it meet demand. | Havering Council said it was lobbying the government for more funding to help it meet demand. |
| A Department for Education spokesperson said the government was committed to "putting education back at the forefront of national life", which included protecting core funding for schools. | A Department for Education spokesperson said the government was committed to "putting education back at the forefront of national life", which included protecting core funding for schools. |
| The spokesperson added that a further £3.2bn would be allocated for school budgets, with £1bn earmarked for children and young people with high needs. | The spokesperson added that a further £3.2bn would be allocated for school budgets, with £1bn earmarked for children and young people with high needs. |
| Clarification 25 April 2025: This story has been updated to include detail about which councils have specified Brexit as a contributing factor to the closures. | |
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