COUNCILLORS FIGHT SCHOOL CLOSURES
Opposition Councillors, led by Liberal Democrat Matthew Bryant, have asked Lambeth Council to reconsider its decision to close Fenstanton Primary School and Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School. They want the Council to look again at an alternative proposal for merger, put forward by school governors, that has support of 83% of local people and is projected to save £1.5m.
The Council decided to close Fenstanton and Holy Trinity Schools, which serve communities with high numbers of disadvantaged and Black Caribbean children, in November 2024, with the last pupils leaving the gates in July 2026. Governors from Fenstanton and Holy Trinity were given a chance to put forward an alternative plan to keep primary school provision in Tulse Hill through a merger of the two schools, but the Council has turned down their proposal.
Now Councillor Bryant and colleagues have submitted a formal request for the Council to call in the decision for reconsideration.
They argue that the Council has ignored the social impact of removing these popular schools, which serve communities with exceptionally high numbers of disadvantaged pupils – as much as 56%, which is well over the national average – and of Black Caribbean pupils. Criticising the Equality Impact Assessment, they note the governors’ claim that closure would "deepen educational inequalities and exacerbate disadvantage and marginalisation." They call on Lambeth to be more robust in balancing financial issues with “the profound social welfare of its most vulnerable residents.”
They also stress that the amalgamation proposal is calculated to save £1.5m in redundancy and closure costs, and say that the decision to press ahead with closure of both schools “does not adequately explain why a potential £1.5 million saving is not deemed viable or worth further collaborative exploration to refine the financial model.”
Commenting, Cllr Matthew Bryant, Deputy Leader of the Lambeth Liberal Democrat Group, said:
“Schools are a vital part of our local communities. To lose two schools in the same area at the same time will be a devastating blow. This is why we are asking the Council to explore further the proposal to retain one school through this amalgamation.
Notes to Editors:
The Council papers on the rejection of the amalgamation proposal are available on the Council’s webpage: