Classrooms in major UK city left ‘empty’ and schools closing as families flee
SCHOOLS in London are at a “crisis point” with many shutting down because of families fleeing the capital due to skyrocketing prices.
The cost-of-living crisis is forcing many parents to take their children out of city schools to move to the suburbs.
Tens of schools have closed in the last year as teachers found themselves in front of empty classrooms.
Carlton Primary School in Kentish Town was shut in 2021 and has now merged with Rhyl Community School.
But executive headteacher Helen Connor now fears their new school could be forced to shut its doors and is “very worried” about the situation.
She told BBC London: “If we can’t fill the places, we don’t have enough money to educate the children and keep the school open.
“When a school closes, it’s devastating, it’s the heart of the community – there is so much that they offer.
“When that’s not there anymore, the community is going to start to fall apart.”
The school is still struggling to fill its seats – despite the fact two other nearby schools recently closed their doors.
She explained: “If you don’t have schools, we won’t have educated young people working in the community.
“We’ve had families moving out the area because they can’t afford the rent.
“When Brexit happened, we had a small number of Eastern European families that moved back to Europe.
“There are just not enough children in our area.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Next year, school funding will be at its highest level in history – in real terms – as measured by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, following the additional £2bn of investment for both 2023 to 24 and 2024 to 2025 in the autumn statement.
“It is for local authorities and academy trusts to balance the supply and demand of school places, in line with changing demographics, as they have done for many years.”