A London council is considering merging up to 16 of its primary schools as plummeting pupil numbers threaten the viability of education in the capital.
Lambeth predicts it needs to reduce capacity in its primary schools by 575 to combat a “significant strain” on its schools “that could impact the quality of education”.
Primary pupil numbers across England are due to fall by 16.6 per cent over the next 10 years – more than 750,000 fewer pupils.
But in London, Brexit, Covid and the soaring cost of housing is driving migration, exacerbating the issue.
Schools receive funding based on the number of pupils they have, not their capacity, so surplus places create a financial strain.
