When Randal Cremer Primary School opened in 1875, London’s population was just half what it is now. You might therefore expect that demand for pupil places would be higher than ever. But on Thursday the school will close forever after running out of its most precious resource: not money, not teachers, but children.
In Lambeth, the number of primary pupils is forecast to drop by an astonishing [24.5 per cent](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68786770) in the space of six years by 2029, according to research by the Education Policy Institute (EPI). The borough’s secondary numbers will also drop 18.8 per cent.
This isn’t necessarily an education emergency; the remaining children will move to other good local schools, even if there are budget issues.
:0 forcing working class communities out of their homes is forcing schools to close?! Who would have guessed replacing families with yuppy scum would impact the area like this?!?!?!
Becomes prohibitively expensive flats in 3,2,1…
I was looking at primary schools but turned out many had stated in council application they need to 1)widen the admission criteria (for example a CoE school will now take children of other christian faith also as main preference) 2)reduce in intake numbers because there is no demand.
It would help if we build more housing for families instead if focusing on 1-2 beds for young professionals.
Better to keep the schools open so the staff/pupil ratio rises and ordinary children can enjoy small classes like in private schools, and they might even learn more.
Silly me. Councils must save money on salaries and flog off school buildings to property developers and it will be someone else’s problem when there are more children than places in a few years.
Seems fine to me. Our birth rate is lower than the hopelessly unsustainable birth rate we had when that school was first built.
I don’t have a problem with some parts of towns (or entire towns) having very few children. I don’t have a problem with some parts of town being full of young families and the cafes stuffed with prams every weekend.
I think it’s completely reasonable to have uneven distribution of young families.
London is becoming like other cities now where the centre has no working class and they all live in outer boroughs in zone 4.
9 comments
When Randal Cremer Primary School opened in 1875, London’s population was just half what it is now. You might therefore expect that demand for pupil places would be higher than ever. But on Thursday the school will close forever after running out of its most precious resource: not money, not teachers, but children.
It’s a phenomenon that’s affecting many inner London boroughs. Randal Cremer is one of four primary school sites [in Hackney](https://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/hackney-schools-children-closing-education-london-b1126468.html) shutting this month because they lack enough pupils, making them financially unviable. Another two are closing [in nearby Islington](https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/23951471.islington-council-plans-close-merge-3-primary-schools/) for the same reason. Four have shut [in Southwark](https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/south-london-borough-loses-4th-29368480) in the last two years, where [16 more are at risk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68144986), and [Camden](https://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/article/fourth-primary-school-to-close-down-in-pupil-shortage-crisis) lost its fourth school last summer.
In Lambeth, the number of primary pupils is forecast to drop by an astonishing [24.5 per cent](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68786770) in the space of six years by 2029, according to research by the Education Policy Institute (EPI). The borough’s secondary numbers will also drop 18.8 per cent.
This isn’t necessarily an education emergency; the remaining children will move to other good local schools, even if there are budget issues.
What makes the trend so alarming are its biggest causes: [unaffordable housing](https://inews.co.uk/topic/housing-crisis?ico=in-line_link), the [cost of living crisis](https://inews.co.uk/topic/cost-of-living-crisis?ico=in-line_link), and [gentrification](https://inews.co.uk/opinion/move-to-new-city-not-help-gentrify-2243798?ico=in-line_link). Thousands of parents of young children, plus people who want to start families, are being pushed from central areas or out of the capital altogether…
:0 forcing working class communities out of their homes is forcing schools to close?! Who would have guessed replacing families with yuppy scum would impact the area like this?!?!?!
Becomes prohibitively expensive flats in 3,2,1…
I was looking at primary schools but turned out many had stated in council application they need to 1)widen the admission criteria (for example a CoE school will now take children of other christian faith also as main preference) 2)reduce in intake numbers because there is no demand.
It would help if we build more housing for families instead if focusing on 1-2 beds for young professionals.
Better to keep the schools open so the staff/pupil ratio rises and ordinary children can enjoy small classes like in private schools, and they might even learn more.
Silly me. Councils must save money on salaries and flog off school buildings to property developers and it will be someone else’s problem when there are more children than places in a few years.
Seems fine to me. Our birth rate is lower than the hopelessly unsustainable birth rate we had when that school was first built.
I don’t have a problem with some parts of towns (or entire towns) having very few children. I don’t have a problem with some parts of town being full of young families and the cafes stuffed with prams every weekend.
I think it’s completely reasonable to have uneven distribution of young families.
London is becoming like other cities now where the centre has no working class and they all live in outer boroughs in zone 4.
Build more council housing then ffs