Lambeth Council extends consultation on falling pupil numbers until 18 August 2024

Lambeth Council is extending the deadline for comments on the informal consultation on primary school places, which was prompted by falling numbers of children starting local schools.

People leaving London because of Brexit and a third drop in the birth rate means fewer children are going to school in Lambeth. Councils in inner London and outside London face similar problems.

To deal with these issues and protect the high quality of primary education in Lambeth, a small number of potential mergers and closures have been put out to the community for feedback ahead of a formal consultation on the final proposals and then a decision in the autumn.

The current informal consultation, which gives communities the chance to have their say on the initial proposals, will now remain open until 18 August. Consultation on the formal proposals will begin when schools return in September and Lambeth Council will consider the final proposals for adoption in the autumn. planned.

Andrew Carter, Lambeth Council’s Corporate Director: Children, Families and Education, said: “This informal consultation is a really important exercise in seeking people’s views, engaging with schools and talking to union representatives.

“These are very difficult choices we have to make as a district and we are determined to fully engage with our communities to explain the scale of the challenge. Extending this commitment gives us more opportunities to lay out the challenge and shape our formal consultations around a way forward.

“We know that school communities need certainty about the future and, given the impact of calling a general election and considering our overall calendar, it is only right that we give people more time to have their say.”

To have your say, visit:

https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/consultations/ha

(This article first appeared on Love Lambeth and is reproduced here for informational purposes)