Primary school families left ‘disheartened’ as council moves ahead with closure plan

Families outside the Town Hall. Photograph: Julia Gregory

Parents said they were “disappointed” that politicians have taken the next step towards closing a popular primary school hit by high vacancy numbers.

Pooles Park in Finsbury could shut this December because falling pupil numbers mean it is losing government funding of £5,700 per empty place.

Two pupils were present as Islington Council’s executive agreed to publish its intention to close the school on Lennox Road, which has 182 pupils out of a maximum of 405 places.

Cllr Michelline Ngongo, executive member for children, young people and families, pledged to work with families and find the best schools for them.

It follows a five-week consultation and a series of meetings with staff and parents.

More than three quarters of 231 respondents said they were against closure.

Parent Catherine Galvin said: “We feel so disappointed and it’s disheartening. We put in such a hard-fought campaign and regardless of our feelings they will just go ahead.”

Pooles Park is the latest London school threatened with closure because of falling rolls – blamed on a combination of Brexit, the housing crisis, cost of living, and a drop in the birth rate.

The council will publish notices about the plans on Thursday 29 June and parents and residents have another month to send in their views until 27 July.

Parents told the council how much they value the pastoral support at the school, its education for children with special educational needs, and the community garden, which they say is a boon for pupils.

Unusually, the school could remain open because an Ofsted inspection said it was inadequate. This meant the government stepped in and invited academies to put in bids to sponsor the school.

The Department for Education’s London advisory board met yesterday to look at potential sponsors – the same day as the council’s executive met to discuss the school’s fate.

Galvin said: “We are in limbo now. We are hoping that an academy will be the chance to keep it open.”

She added: “It would be a terrible shame if it closed. We have had such fantastic ideas for its future.”

It is believed that two academies are interested in sponsoring the school. If the move goes ahead, the council would lease the building to a sponsor.

The school hopes to hear back from the Department for Education next week.