Calverton Primary School in Custom House, East London, is facing closure due to a significant financial deficit and declining pupil numbers, sparking deep concern among parents and staff. The school currently contends with a £1.1 million shortfall and a substantial drop in student enrolment, factors cited by Newham Council as the rationale behind the decision to proceed with closure despite receiving 150 objections. Parents are particularly anxious about the impact on the school's dedicated resource provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), known as the Treehouse, fearing the loss of vital support for their children's progress and well-being.

The school, which was recently rated Outstanding by Ofsted, serves a diverse community, including many children with SEND. Educators and parents have campaigned vigorously against the closure, warning of catastrophic effects not only on students with special needs but on the entire pupil body. One parent poignantly described the potential fallout, saying: “The effect the closure will have on not only the SEN but all the pupils of Calverton will be utterly catastrophic. All the confidence and trust that has built up over the years, it will be snatched away from them.” This highlights the broader concerns about continuity, stability, and trust in educational provision for vulnerable children.

The situation at Calverton is part of a wider trend seen across London, where several primary schools face closure due to falling birth rates, financial difficulties, and families moving out of the capital. For example, St Mary's CofE Primary School in Hackney, dating back to 1563, and St Cuthbert with St Matthias in Kensington and Chelsea are similarly confronting closure owing to a combination of shrinking pupil rolls and budget pressures. These closures severely impact local communities and raise difficult questions about the future availability and quality of education in affected areas.

In response to such closures, some London boroughs are adapting by converting former mainstream primary schools into facilities for children with SEND. Councils including Westminster, Lambeth, Southwark, and Hammersmith have embarked on significant investments, with Southwark alone allocating up to £14 million towards two such projects. This reflects a strategic shift in education planning to meet growing needs for specialist support, even as overall pupil numbers fall in mainstream schools. However, this approach does not address the immediate disruption faced by families at schools like Calverton, where the loss of an established and highly regarded SEND resource provision threatens to leave vulnerable children and their families without local support.

The closure proposal for Calverton Primary School thus sits at the intersection of financial pragmatism and the urgent need to safeguard educational equity for SEND pupils. Newham Council's stance underscores the challenges local authorities face in balancing budgets with community needs amid changing demographics. Yet, the passionate response from parents and educators reveals a deep unease about the long-term consequences for children’s education and well-being, particularly those requiring special support.

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Source: Noah Wire Services