Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn joins a demonstration at Higbury Quadrant Primary School

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WHILE two Islington primary schools facing closure wait for news about their future, Jeremy Corbyn has raised their concerns with the government.

Highbury Quadrant and St Jude and St Paul’s schools were recommended for closure by Islington Council last year, primarily due to falling rolls, meaning there are not enough children in the area to fill the available spaces.

Mr Corbyn went to both schools in December to join their fight against the plans, and he has now raised the issue with the government’s education secretary, Bridget Phillipson.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Corbyn said that falling rolls lead local authorities to “take the option of closing the school, which is very damaging to the children and the local communities,” particularly in the “poorest parts of boroughs”.

Although local authorities run schools, it is the government that funds them and sets education policies.

Mr Corbyn joins a St Jude’s and St Paul’s demonstration

Schools receive a set amount of money per pupil from the government, meaning those with fewer pupils can find it harder to balance their budgets – as is the case with Highbury Quadrant and St Jude and St Paul’s, which both have a budget deficit.

Mr Corbyn asked Ms Phillipson if the government would develop policy that would allow it to intervene to protect schools from closure.

Mr Corbyn also wrote to Ms Phillipson, suggesting the problem of falling rolls was due to the combined circumstances of high rents in the private sector, a lack of available social housing and European nationals moving away post-Brexit.

Of the two Islington schools on the line, he wrote: “Both schools have loyal parent support, with children who are very badly affected by the stress of the possibility of their school closing, and in particular, special needs students and Year 5 students suffer acute stress at the possibility of having to find another school.”

Mr Corbyn’s comments were made in the context of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is currently being developed by MPs with a view to eventually becoming law.

Islington Council said it has worked closely with both schools to explore alternative solutions and that the proposed closure of a school is always the last option.

A spokesperson said: “We are committed to putting children first and driving educational excellence through inclusive and sustainable schools.

“Across London, because of a falling birth rate and changes to the local population, pupil numbers are falling, and Islington is no exception.

“Our top priority is to ensure the best outcomes for our children and young people and to deliver that we need to effectively manage issues around capacity and ensure our schools are sustainable for the long term.”

Councillors will decide whether to proceed with the statutory process to close the schools at a meeting on February 13.