Parents from Hackney school claim drop in pupils is ‘temporary blip’ – as they urge council to scrap potential merger

Families from Colvestone Primary School outside the Town Hall. Photograph: Julia Gregory

Parents and children from a school at risk of closure because of falling pupil numbers brought their protestations to the Town Hall this week.

They are urging Hackney Council to rethink its plan to merge Colvestone and Princess May primary schools.

The demonstration comes ahead of a crunch meeting about the proposals, which affect six local primaries.

Falling school rolls, blamed partly on Brexit, the cost of living, and an exodus of families from London, could see De Beauvoir and Randal Cremer primary schools shut for good in September 2024.

Two more primaries, Baden Powell and Nightingale, could also merge.

Education bosses said the six schools have lost out on a total of £4m in government funding because of empty seats in their classrooms.

In 2022, primary schools in Hackney had 634 unfilled reception places out of the 2,900 on offer.

Cabinet member for education Anntoinette Bramble said: “We know schools are more than just places for children to receive education, and that they play an important part in their local community.

“This is why having to now consider potentially closing or merging schools is very difficult, and not something we would propose if we had any other choice.

“We do not underestimate the impact that such changes would have on the community, parents, staff and pupils.”

She said the loss of income means “it is becoming increasingly more difficult for [the schools] to continue doing all the fantastic things that families, children, staff and the community love them for”.

Colvestone parents pointed out that the school had gone through some “turbulence”, including de-federation, two staff restructures and changes in leadership, which have all had an impact on pupil numbers.

In a document they prepared for councillors, parents said there was just an eight per cent drop between 2015 and 2019, whilst some of the other schools on the council’s list had “significant” reductions at the same time.

“We conclude that the recent drop in enrolment was not primarily a consequence of larger demographic trends, but staff and structural transitions that have now been rectified,” they told councillors.

Colvestone parent Crystabel Riley said she has concerns about the increase in pollution near Princess May and pointed out there are plans for a ‘Twenty-First Century Street’ outside Colvestone.

Colvestone Crescent was picked as Hackney’s first such street, with more green space in place of cars, tree cover for at least 40 per cent of it, bike storage, electric vehicle chargers, and traffic restrictions at at school drop-off and collection times.

“It’s ridiculous to close the school,” Riley said. “We are part of the Ridley Road community with strong links to the market.”

She added: “There’s an argument for a small school, it’s an environment that better suits a lot of children. My children seem really happy to learn there.”

If the school shuts, she fears “the transition would be traumatic”, especially for children who were not in school during the Covid lockdown.

“Colvestone is a special school.”

Seven-year-old Cosmo talked about how much he valued his teachers and added: “I like playing outside with my friends at school.”

Parents say the move would reduce parental choice and means there would be no non-faith, one-form entry council schools within a one-mile radius.

They pointed to their own survey of Colvestone parents. Two thirds replied and 95 per cent had not picked Princess May as one of their top six choices when their children started school. Just three out of 70 households picked it at all.

Many raised concerns about Princess May’s location on a busier road with higher pollution and did not want to send their children to a larger school.

They think the current drop in school rolls is “a temporary blip caused by the unproven new leadership and substantial restoration and infrastructure building works” when prospective parents were visiting.

They believe families who move into the proposed 600 new homes in Dalston will boost the number of pupils and said the council needs to look at the “mid- to long-term” need.

“It underestimates the impact on demand for places at Colvestone,” they said.

Parents told the council: “The uncertainty produced by further consultation is both unnecessary and potentially hugely damaging to the operation of a successful school.”

Families of pupils with special educational needs said they are worried about moving them.

The council pledged “to ensure these children are supported as much as possible, along with their families”.

The cabinet is due to discuss plans for informal consultation over the six schools’ future at its meeting next Monday.