1 in 4 primary school places left empty in Westminster
Council officers warn of threat to school budgets as funds remain linked to pupil numbers
More than a quarter of Westminster’s primary school places are empty, as the council warns of the financial implications of falling pupil numbers, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Council officers say that, due to schools’ income being directly linked to their pupil numbers, “there is a risk of school budgets falling into deficit which could come back to the Council if they cannot balance their budgets”.
Across London, the level of surplus spaces in the City’s primary schools is increasing, having reached 25.9% in January this year - up from 24.1% in 2023.
In a report on the Council's financial performance so far this year, officers suggested the falling number of pupils poses a threat to school budgets.
But Sarah Newman, Bi-Borough Executive Director of Children’s Services, says “It is our responsibility to make sure that schools can balance their budgets”.
“If they can’t we then work with school governors to come up with plans such as federation and amalgamation in order to bring the deficits down.”
Ms Newman added 14 forms of entry, meaning the number of classes in each year group, have been removed in the last four years.
And a number of amalgamations have taken place already, including between Churchill Gardens and Millbank Academy earlier this year.
The report further detailed how the most significant pressure on the council’s finances continues to be temporary accommodation.
The number of households in such accommodation has risen from 2,699 in April 2022 to 3,693 at the end of June this year, an increase of 38%.