Enfield schools face closure after £1.68m deficit

Enfield Council has begun a public consultation process regarding the potential closure of three schools: Bishop Stopford’s School, Suffolks Primary School, and Starks Field Primary School. The decision to consult was made by the council's cabinet on 14 October 2026.

Declining Pupil Numbers and Financial Strain

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These schools are projected to operate at less than 50% capacity within the next three years, according to a cabinet report. The funding for schools is directly linked to pupil numbers, making schools with low occupancy financially unsustainable. The combined annual deficit for the three affected schools stands at £1.68 million.

Conservative council leader Alessandro Georgiou stated that the issue of falling pupil numbers had been known for years. He accused the previous Labour administration of delaying decisions on the matter, which he claimed has kept parents and staff uninformed and exposed the council to increasing financial pressure. Cllr Georgiou estimated that the delay in addressing the school closures could have cost taxpayers over £1.2 million.

The council stated its intention to seek a wide range of views during the consultation, including potential alternatives to outright closure. Residents, parents, and staff are encouraged to participate once the consultation period begins.

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Opposition Response

Ergin Erbil, the former Labour council leader, described Cllr Georgiou's accusations as misleading. He asserted that the previous Labour administration had worked to prevent the closure of Bishop Stopford’s School and that proposals for Suffolks Primary School and Starks Field Primary School to become specialist provision for children with special educational needs had been explored. Cllr Erbil stated that closing schools was not the approach his administration was pursuing.

He added that the current Conservative administration should take responsibility for its own decisions rather than attributing blame to its predecessors. Final decisions on the schools' futures will be made after the consultation process and consideration of all responses.