Ken Muller: ‘If there are falling rolls it could be an opportunity to have smaller class sizes’

SCHOOLS are expected to close, merge together or be turned into academies under plans currently being drawn up to address a huge drop in pupil numbers across Islington.

The council has announced it is planning to consult before Christmas on the future of primary schools following a fall in pupils of nearly 1,500 in the past five years – the equivalent of five primary schools.

Town Hall chiefs are projecting schools will be £2million in the red by April – with 31 schools out of a total of 46 in deficit – because of the direct link between funding and pupil numbers. The situation – caused by a cocktail of low birthrates and lack of affordable housing that forces new families out of London – has been made worse by spiralling energy bills predicted to be an eye-watering £5m higher than last year.

A report setting out the Town Hall’s School Organisation Plan said actions to return schools to “a sustainable financial footing” include “closing, amalgamation and academisation”, adding: “Falling rolls is a pressing issue with a surplus capacity of 18 per cent currently anticipated in reception [classes] across Islington schools.

“This position is set to continue and further increase based on the roll projections if no action is taken to reduce places. Reducing the number of school places in a planned way will support schools more widely to be financially sustainable.”

In neighbouring Camden, consultation has gone out on the closure of a primary school after two were shut in the past three years. Last year Clerkenwell Parochial also closed.

The report said that in reception classes this year – the year that children start primary school – there are roughly seven children fewer per class than required.

Those working in education say the main drivers for falling rolls are a lack of affordable family housing.

One Islington school teacher, who did not want to be named but has worked in education for nearly 20 years, told the Tribune: “I think it’s really disappointing [the council] didn’t have the foresight to make sure there was enough affordable housing for young families – it’s not that people are having less children, it’s that they can’t afford to live in central London.

“Closing schools, which are hubs of community, doesn’t feel like that’s the right solution because merging schools forces communities to scatter. It’s not the straightforward answer and it’s an awful process for the staff and for the families that go to the school. It means that half the workforce will no longer be employed.”

Ken Muller, National Education Union branch press officer for Islington, said they were opposed to academisation, which left schools unaccountable to the communities they serve, and closures and mergers.

He added: “If there are falling rolls it could be an opportunity to have smaller class sizes and we would very much like to campaign alongside the council to fight against government cuts and for better funding for schools rather than closing them or turning them into academies.”

A ballot on whether school workers – including teachers – want to strike over pay and school funding took place this week with a strike expected after Christmas.

Pointing the finger at central government for year-on-year cuts to the Town Hall budget since 2010 when the Tories were elected, Labour leader Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz said: “It’s vital that national Government funds our schools properly, especially at a time when schools face soaring energy prices and inflation. Our children and young people must get the great education they deserve.”

An Islington Council statement said: “Across London there has been a significant decline in pupil numbers due to a range of factors including lower birthrates, changes to EU migration, and the impact of Covid-19, including increasing numbers of families moving out of London.

“Islington is no exception to these trends, with falls in pupil numbers in our primary schools and especially at reception level. Across the borough’s 46 primary schools, almost one in five reception places are unfilled. The total number of pupils, of all ages, in our primary schools, reduced by more than 300 last year.

“All schools receive funding per pupil, so if schools have too many surplus places it results in significantly less funding for salaries, for books and other learning resources, utility bills, and other running costs. This can have a negative impact on children’s education.

“The School Organisation Plan sets out how we will manage surplus places so that our children and young people get the best education and experience at school.”