A protest by parents, staff and pupils is expected to take place outside Enfield Civic Centre prior to Tuesday’s meeting, reports James Cracknell
Councillors on a scrutiny committee will debate Enfield Council’s proposal to close three schools when it meets next week.
The Labour opposition group has submitted a ‘call in’ request on the decision made by the Conservative-led administration two weeks ago to launch a consultation on closing Bishop Stopford’s School in Carterhatch ward, the adjacent Suffolks Primary School, as well as Starks Field Primary School in Edmonton.
They are each predicted to be operating at less than 50% capacity by 2029, according to this month’s cabinet report, which also warned that the three schools are currently running a total deficit of £1.68million.
However, Labour’s call-in request claims this report contained “material inaccuracies and inconsistencies” and “does not adequately explain why Bishop Stopford’s School, Suffolks Primary School and Starks Field Primary School were selected for potential closure or repurposing rather than other schools experiencing falling pupil numbers”.
It adds: “The methodology appears to have focused primarily on financial and operational viability, without sufficient consideration of educational standards, Ofsted assessments, recent examination results, school improvement performance or the particular needs of the pupils served.”
A protest by parents, staff and pupils is expected to take place outside Enfield Civic Centre prior to the overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday, 3rd November. The meeting starts at 7pm.
If the committee votes to reject the call-in request at that meeting, a public consultation on the proposals will launch the following week, on Monday, 9th November, but if councillors back the request, senior Conservative councillors will be required to reconsider the decision before going forward.
The committee comprises four Tory councillors, four Labour, and one Green – who chairs it. This means the vote could likely hinge on the position taken by Sarah Jons, the Green group leader.
At the cabinet meeting on 14th October, council leader Alessandro Georgiou accused his Labour predecessor Ergin Erbil of keeping staff and parents at the affected schools “in the dark” and of showing them “callous disregard” by delaying a decision on school closures when he was running the council.
However, the Labour call-in request now accuses the Tory administration of a “failure to adequately assess the impact on vulnerable pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities (Send)”.
It continues: “Bishop Stopford’s plays an important role in accommodating pupils who have struggled to secure suitable places elsewhere, including approximately 80 in-year admissions, many involving children with complex educational and pastoral needs.
“Some of these children have previously experienced rejection or unsuccessful placements at other schools, while others have been at risk of permanent exclusion.
“The school’s success in supporting these pupils, providing stability and delivering improving educational outcomes should be recognised as a significant strength rather than overlooked in an assessment focused predominantly on financial viability. Displacing these particularly vulnerable children risks serious and potentially lasting consequences for their education, emotional wellbeing and future prospects.”
Asked to respond to the concerns raised, Chris Dey, the council’s Conservative cabinet member for children’s services, said: “No decisions have been made about the future of any individual school. Any proposals would be subject to the appropriate statutory process, including a full consultation with schools, parents, staff and other stakeholders before a decision is taken.
“At this stage, the council’s proposals have been called-in, which means they will be presented to the overview and scrutiny committee on 3rd November. If the council is permitted to proceed, the consultations should begin on 9th November and will remain open for six weeks.
“We would encourage everyone to take part. We also intend to host face-to-face sessions in each of the three schools, where questions can be asked directly to our education team.
“We are committed to conducting a fair, transparent and evidence-based consultation and ensuring that all views are fully considered before any decision is taken.”
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