Enfield school closure consultation delayed over report errors

Enfield Council's overview and scrutiny committee has delayed a consultation on the potential closure of three schools. The committee voted to send the proposals back to the cabinet for further consideration after identifying "errors" and "inaccuracies" in the report that formed the basis for the decision. The schools affected are Bishop Stopford’s School, Suffolks Primary School, and Starks Field Primary School.

The decision followed a two-hour debate on Tuesday evening, with parents and staff observing from the public gallery. Labour councillors had submitted a "call in" request, arguing that the report contained "inaccurate" information. While Conservative committee members agreed the issue needed further review, they did not support Labour's call for a full council debate involving all councillors.

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Concerns over data and SEND provision

Labour councillor Ian Barnes stated the report had "serious flaws and inaccuracies" and questioned why figures were not up to date. He also raised concerns about the expansion of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision at Suffolks Primary School, which had been planned for this summer. Headteachers from all three schools also voiced concerns. Tammy Day, headteacher of Bishop Stopford’s, questioned the validity of the evidence used, noting that viability assessments ignored academic performance and educational quality. Andrea Cassius, headteacher of Suffolks Primary, stated the council's decision was based on "flawed information" and highlighted plans to increase SEND pupil numbers to 96 by 2029. Melissa Davies Oliveck, headteacher of Starks Field Primary, expressed her greatest concern for the school's SEND pupils, who represent nearly one-fifth of the student body.

Peter Nathan, the council's director of education, acknowledged that some information used was out of date, citing data from the January census. He explained that Enfield's annual birth rate had fallen significantly, from approximately 5,000 new pupils a decade ago to about 3,300 now, impacting the entire borough. He confirmed the three schools proposed for closure have a combined financial deficit of £1.68 million, describing it as a "considerable deficit" that the council did not wish to incur but was necessary due to pupil numbers driving school income.

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Regarding SEND provision, Peter Nathan stated the council has a strong track record and plans to expand capacity, expressing confidence that provision would be available if closures proceeded. He assured that the council cared about the outcomes for pupils and would work with parents. Council leader Alessandro Georgiou apologised for the way potential closures were revealed over the summer, but suggested the Labour opposition had "whipped up" opposition. He blamed Labour predecessors for not addressing declining pupil numbers sooner.

Next steps

Councillor Barnes urged for a full council debate, but Councillor Georgiou stated the consultation should occur first. The council leader pledged that officers would provide a response to the "complete list of inaccuracies" before the consultation is launched. The exact date for the revised consultation launch was not specified.