We need measures to stop the exodus of young families from London, says the MP

Action must be taken to stop young families being driven out of London and to ensure the city is open to people of all ages, an MP warned on Tuesday.

The government has been urged to intervene as pupil numbers fall in the capital, forcing some schools to close.

It comes after the Evening Standard revealed that 50,000 children left state schools in the capital last year, with many moving out of London entirely.

Labor MP Florence Eshalomi, whose Vauxhall constituency is in Lambeth – one of London’s worst affected boroughs, said: “London needs children to continue to be a world-leading city for decades to come. The Government must act on the affordability crisis which is driving so many young families out of their own communities and keep London open to all ages.”

Ms Eshalomi will tomorrow lead a parliamentary debate on pupil numbers and school closures in London and will directly challenge ministers to recognize the impact it is having in London.

The sharp drop in pupil numbers is hurting London schools as they lose funding for every child who leaves. This was caused by a combination of a falling birthrate and families leaving the capital due to Brexit, the pandemic, a lack of affordable housing and the cost of living, experts said.

Research shows that more than 28,000 children left London’s primary schools and 22,000 left secondary schools in 2021-22, while fewer than 38,000 joined, making a net loss of 12,000 pupils in one year . London Councils predicts that boroughs will see a 7.3% drop in pupil numbers between now and 2026-27.

The organization is calling on the Government to ensure school funding keeps pace with inflationary increases and to give local authorities more powers to deal with falling numbers. A spokeswoman said: “Falling demand for reception places means schools are facing extremely difficult decisions about how to balance their budgets… It is vital that we support our schools to continue to thrive in this difficult climate .”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: “Next year, school funding will be at an all-time high – in real terms – as measured by the IFS, following £2 billion of extra investment for both 2023-24, as well as for 2024-25 in the autumn statement. It is the responsibility of local authorities and the academy to balance the supply and demand of school places in line with changing demographics, as they have done for many years.”