FAQs
It will cost at least £1 million for the building to be brought back to a good state. Where did this figure come from? What in the building needs fixing / upgrading?
Highbury Quadrant School has been identified as the primary school in Islington most in need of a new build development since the completion of the last new build primary school in 2016/17. The latest council stock condition report received for the school (Feb 2022) estimates over £2m capital investment is required over the coming 15-year period, with about half of this targeted during the 5 year period 2022 – 2027. Works have been identified across many elements of the school fabric and services including external walls, windows and doors, roofs, electrical installations, internal finishes and external areas.
Is it possible for the school to become an academy instead of closing?
It is a DfE determination, not a Local Authority decision, that would only be made if the Governing Board decided to apply. The school would not be eligible to apply as a single school as it does not meet the DfE criteria.
The only route possible would be for the school to identify and secure an academy trust to join and then apply for an academy order on which the DfE would make a viability assessment. Given all the factors set out in the consultation it is unlikely that the school could both secure an academy trust to join and then be approved by the DfE as a viable academy.
If this goes ahead how will parents/carers be supported to find an alternative school place in the local area?
We can guarantee that if the council’s Executive makes the decision to progress the proposal, there will be places available for all current pupils at local schools.
It would not be appropriate at this stage to start making arrangements for which school children would transfer to, given that no decision has yet been made, but we can confirm that there is adequate capacity in local Islington schools to accommodate all current pupils.
Individual support will be provided to parents to secure an appropriate place, taking into account the family’s circumstances, including to minimise travel time if that is the family’s priority.
There would be dedicated support provided for all children and families in identifying a suitable alternative school from the admissions team. There would also be support and information from local headteachers who would work with the Local Authority on having capacity and a plan to welcome Highbury Quadrant pupils.
Highbury Quadrant is a large site, lots of which is underused. Why hasn't amalgamation been explored, as we could easily house another school?
A range of options have been considered over time to try and secure the school’s future, including reductions in PAN, restructuring the workforce, co-locating other services on the site, and amalgamation with another school. However, amalgamation on the Highbury Quadrant site was deemed not to be a suitable option, due to the condition of the building.
If the building is an issue, why can't Highbury Quadrant be amalgamated with another school in their building?
Consideration was given to whether any local schools could be identified that would be suitable for an amalgamation. However, after assessing the surrounding schools it was concluded that there is no feasible option for amalgamation.
Will there be support for parents that may want to move their children to schools in other boroughs and support for non residents who wish to remain in an Islington school?
Islington School Admissions have a close working relationship with their counterparts in other boroughs and would be able to support families should the proposal proceed. Admissions rules ensure that parents would not be disadvantaged by applying “crossborder”. If the school were to close, Islington would provide support to the parents of all children affected, regardless of whether they were Islington residents or not. If the family wished to keep their child in a local Islington school, the arrangements would be the same as for any Islington resident.
How many children would need to be at the school to make it sustainable?
Determining the exact number of children needed to make a school sustainable can be complex and depends on various factors. Generally, a school needs a sufficient number of pupils to cover its operational costs, including staffing, maintenance, and utilities. However, it's important to note that as the number of pupils increases, so do the associated costs, such as additional staffing, wear and tear on the building, and higher utility expenses. These costs can vary significantly and are challenging to calculate precisely without specific data.
There are other schools with a much higher deficit than ours. Why has Highbury Quadrant been prioritised for closure?
Financial deficit alone is the not the only factor in making the proposal to close the school. One of the key considerations is the current and future demand for places at the school, which is considered alongside a range of evidence.
Class sizes are currently small. If the proposal proceeds and children go to other schools, does that mean they will be in larger class sizes?
Small class sizes make it difficult for a school to run in a fully-resourced, sustainable way. Class sizes of 30 pupils mean more funding is available for resources and enrichment activities, as fixed costs such as teaching staff and maintenance are spread over a larger number of pupils.
If the school were to close, depending on which school children transferred to, it is possible that they may be placed in larger classes than they are currently in at Highbury Quadrant but it is intended that they would not be in classes with more than 30 pupils (although Islington schools occasionally have a few more pupils in Key Stage 2 classes).
