Consultation on the future of Highbury Quadrant Primary School

Islington Council is seeking the views of parents and carers, staff, the local community, and other interested groups on its proposal to close Highbury Quadrant Primary School.

Across London, because of a falling birth rate and changes to the local population, pupil numbers are falling, and Islington is no exception.

Schools with fewer pupils get less government funding, which risks their long-term future and the quality of education.

We want to ensure a sustainable future for our schools, and excellent education for our children so that they have the best start in life.

Because of this, we are proposing to close Highbury Quadrant Primary School on 31 August 2025.

This consultation gives information about why we have made this proposal and asks your views about it.

We welcome your views on the proposal and will consider all views put forward during the consultation period.

Islington Council’s Executive will decide whether to proceed with the statutory process to close the school at its meeting on 13 February 2025.

Please read this information carefully and respond to our short survey before the closing date of 11 December 2024.

Summary of the proposal

• Highbury Quadrant Primary School doesn’t have enough children in each year group
• Highbury Quadrant Primary School has had a deficit budget for a number of years and this deficit position will continue into the future
• The school buildings and external areas are no longer fit for purpose and require significant capital investment
• We are proposing to close Highbury Quadrant Primary School on 31 August 2025
• If Highbury Quadrant Primary School closes, we will offer all Highbury Quadrant Primary School pupils a place at another nearby good Islington School
• Islington Council will support the school, parents, and children throughout the transition

Background

Islington Council is committed to putting children first and driving educational excellence through inclusive and sustainable schools. We have set out our mission in our Education Plan to ensure that every child, whatever their background, has the same opportunity and ambition to reach their educational potential in a good Islington school. We will equip and empower every child and young person who attends our schools and education settings with the learning and skills for life and the future world of work.

The amount of money a school receives is linked to how many pupils are at the school. As a school gets smaller, the less money the school has. This can eventually affect the quality of children’s education as schools have less money to spend on staff and resources. We need to manage this situation to ensure every child goes to a good school with a healthy budget.

When considering what action to take to reduce spare places we also consider other information about schools including the quality of education, their financial position, and the local context.

The proposal

We are proposing to close Highbury Quadrant Primary School on 31 August 2025.

Highbury Quadrant Primary School has many spare school places, with pupil numbers set to fall further still in the coming years.

As a result, Highbury Quadrant Primary School will receive reduced funding.

Pupil projections and numbers

The number of pupils at Highbury Quadrant Primary School

Highbury Quadrant Primary School has a declining number of pupils and a high level of surplus capacity. From Reception to Year 6 the school has 360 places but only 161 pupils, meaning 55% of places aren’t filled. Table 1 shows the number of pupils in each year group, based on provisional data from October 2024.

Table 1: number of pupils at Highbury Quadrant by year group (October 2024)

The number of pupils has been declining at Highbury Quadrant over a number of years as shown in Table 2.

Table 2: Pupil numbers at Highbury Quadrant from Reception to Year 6 at October census each year

These figures represent a 42% fall in pupil numbers since October 2020.

We must take action to address these falling numbers and to ensure that all children can continue to go to financially secure and viable schools.

Each school must publish the maximum number of pupils it can expect. This is called the Published Admission Number - or PAN. The minimum number this can be is 30 for each year group, meaning the school is a one-form entry school. Highbury Quadrant has reduced its PAN over time from an original PAN of 60 down to 45 and then reduced to 30 in 2024. The building is, however, a larger school building built for the original PAN of 60 and has the associated running costs of a large school site.

Pupil number projections

We plan for school places by reviewing the number of pupils on roll at schools, the number of vacant places and the number of pupils projected to attend Islington schools in the future.

There is a high level of surplus capacity in Islington with vacancies of 25% in Reception and 18% across Reception to Year 6. In other words, one in four places are not taken in reception at schools in the local area. This figure is above both the Department for Education’s recommendation of a 5% vacancy rate, and the 10% vacancy rate used by most local authorities across London.

Pupil numbers are expected to decrease further across Islington and in the Highbury Planning area where Highbury Quadrant is situated as set out in Table 3. This is based on the analysis of births and other data.

Table 3: Number of pupils projected to enter Reception in the Highbury Planning Area and in Islington overall

School funding

School funding from central government is based on the number of pupils in school at the start of a new academic year.

For every unused place in an Islington primary school, the school is missing out on an average of £6058 a year which has an impact on staffing and resources at the school.

A school with unused places is still required to fund the same level of fixed costs as a full school including the maintenance and operation of school buildings.

Schools with less pupils – like Highbury Quadrant – are particularly vulnerable to changes in pupil numbers.

Options considered

Options have been explored over time to improve the sustainability of Highbury Quadrant Primary School, including co-location of other services on the site or federation with another school. It has not been possible to find a solution with such a significant reduction in pupil numbers at the school and across Islington as a whole.

What happens if the school closes

We understand that this creates a period of uncertainty and concern for parents and the local community, as many have a strong connection to the school.

If Highbury Quadrant Primary School closes, all existing pupils will need to move to another school.

We will guarantee a place at another local Islington school for all pupils.

Ofsted has rated all other local Islington schools as ‘good’.

Islington Council will work closely with the school to help ensure a smooth transition for all pupils. We will identify the additional needs of all children, starting with those with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP), to ensure they have the additional support they need at their new school. We will also provide face-to-face support to any parent or carer who needs help with completing an admissions application.

Because other schools have spare places, it will be possible for groups of children to move together to another nearby school. We can help arrange that if parents wish to do this.

We will provide more information about how we will support moving to another school if the proposal is agreed.

There will be no changes this school year.

Any pupil currently in Year 6 will complete their primary schooling at Highbury Quadrant Primary School.

Consultation timeline

Informal consultation: 7 November – 11 December 2024

We will publish this consultation document and hold face-to-face consultation sessions with parents, staff, and the wider community.

Council decision on informal consultation: 13 February 2025

The council Executive will consider all responses to the consultation and then at its public meeting on 13 February 2025, it will decide whether to proceed with a formal proposal to close the school. If this happens there will be a second stage consultation that will run for four weeks in the spring.

Final Decision: Spring 2025

The final decision would be made by the council Executive at its meeting in April. If approved, Highbury Quadrant Primary School would close on 31 August 2025.

How to give your views

Give your views by completing our online questionnaire

You must submit your response by 11.59pm on Wednesday 11 December 2024.