The protest against proposed school closures outside Hackney Town Hall. Pic: Hackney NEU on Twitter/X
Hackney Council approved consultations on proposals for the potential closures of two Hackney primary schools and two options for organisational changes to two other primary schools at a public council meeting on September 30.
The proposals include the potential closures of St Mary’s Church of England and St Dominic’s Catholic Primary Schools, and potential mergers for Sir Thomas Abney Primary School and Oldhill Primary School with Holmleigh Primary and Harrington Hill Primary Schools respectively.
Councillor Anntoinette Bramble, the Deputy Mayor of Hackney, defended the necessity of the proposals saying that: “It is incredibly difficult to have to consider once again potential closures or mergers of some of the schools most impacted by the falling rolls, despite their great performance. But it is our role as a council to do everything we can to make sure our schools are fit for the future, and to protect the high-quality education for which Hackney is known.”
However, some residents are unhappy with the council’s proposals, with a protest held in front of Hackney Town Hall by the school communities the same afternoon.
Hackney National Education Union (NEU), who supported these protests, said on X: “This is a disastrous decision. We will support our members to fight it to the end.”
One pupil from St. Dominic’s Catholic Primary School said: “I don’t want my school to close, because I love my tutor and my friends.”
Others in the crowds, including pupils, chanted: “Leave our kids alone!” and “Save our schools!”
A petition attracting over 1,000 signatures has been launched by Nataliya Nayda, an early years coordinator at the school, protesting the proposed closure of St. Dominic’s Catholic Primary School.
In the petition description, Nayda noted the school’s longstanding social and spiritual bond with the Hackney community, arguing that the potential closure was bigger than the school itself, and would negatively affect Hackney and wider East London communities.
On the steps of Hackney Town Hall, children led the lobby to save their schools.
— Hackney NEU (@HackneyNEU) October 1, 2024
They passionately asked @hackneycouncil to save their schools and keep them with their friends and teachers.
Schools are close knit communities that should not be split up. Listen to the kids! pic.twitter.com/U8NOWvkGYp
Hackney Council maintains that there are not enough financial resources to maintain the schools, due to a decrease in pupil numbers, a problem which seems to also be commonly shared across London boroughs. The council pointed to a variety of reasons, including: “lower birth rates, the cap on housing benefits, and families leaving London.”
It also acknowledged the close-knit bond between schools and the local community saying that: “We will work together with school leaders, and the Dioceses in the case of faith schools, to support children, families, staff and communities through the next steps.”
Hackney Council told Eastlondonlines that more details about consultations with Hackney families and others potentially affected by the proposals which are set to happen between October and November will be released in the next few days.
