Three schools face closure threat as pupil numbers fall

A secondary and two primaries are being considered for closure by Enfield Council but concerns have been raised over the way the move is being handled, reports James Cracknell

Three schools proposed for closure; Bishop Stopford’s, Starks Field and Suffolks

Three Enfield schools are being considered for closure amid falling pupil numbers – despite all being rated ‘good’ by education watchdog Ofsted.

A decision on whether to launch a public consultation over plans to close Bishop Stopford’s School, a Church of England secondary in Carterhatch ward, the adjacent Suffolks Primary School, as well as Starks Field Primary School in Edmonton, is due to be made by senior Conservative councillors at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, 14th October.

The number of pupils enrolled at Bishop Stopford’s in Brick Lane has fallen by around 25% over the last decade, with only 554 pupils registered at the start of this year – less than half the school’s maximum capacity.

The two primaries have seen numbers decline even faster – by around 45% (down to 182 pupils) at Suffolks and by 58% (down to 187 pupils) at Starks Field.

While no decision has yet been made and views from parents and staff will be considered first, the news has been causing anxiety locally after the three affected schools were named by Enfield Council on its website last month.

Tammy Day, headteacher of Bishop Stopford’s, told the Dispatch her school was a success story. She said: “Bishop Stopford’s School has seen pupil outcomes improve with the 2026 results being the best in three years. More students are able to progress successfully to sixth form, higher education, apprenticeships and employment.

“The school’s success has been recognised through three consecutive ‘good’ Ofsted inspections.”

Enfield North MP Feryal Clark has written to both the council leader and chief executive to highlight the “considerable concern and distress” caused to school staff, parents, pupils and governors.

The Labour MP said there was “deep disappointment” not only about the closure proposal, but “also about the way the process has been handled, including public sharing of sensitive documents without prior notice”.

Regarding Bishop Stopford’s specifically, Clark added: “There is a strong feeling within the school and the wider education community that there has been a complete lack of public accountability over the leaks and the considerable distress they have caused to staff, pupils, families and the wider school community.”

If closure does go ahead, Clark called for a “two-year transitional period” which would give “existing students the opportunity to finish their qualifications at their current school”.

A motion proposed by Labour group leader Ergin Erbil at a full council meeting earlier this month argued that “falling pupil numbers should not automatically lead to school closures” and “must be considered alongside wider issues” including housing affordability.

The ex-council leader added: “Any consultation on the future of local schools must be transparent, meaningful, accessible and inclusive, including for residents whose first language is not English.”

Shrinking rolls at mainstream schools are being driven by demographic changes and an aging population but, at the same time, demand is rising for Enfield’s special schools, with the council pushing to expand capacity for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).

Cllr Erbil’s motion requested that, where mainstream schools are closed, the council should “prioritise the use of the site for Send provision before any alternative is considered”.

Trevor Blackman, chief executive of Edmonton Community Partnership (ECP), has also raised concerns. He said creating additional special school places should not “come at the cost of closing existing schools that are themselves serving communities with significant needs”.

Regarding Starks Field, he added: “ECP works with the headteacher and her team, and we know the community they serve. The school supports a number of vulnerable families.

“Attendance may not always follow patterns we would like, but those children do attend and they need their school. If Starks Field were eventually to close, I would want a proper assessment of the effect that could have on attendance, parental engagement, safeguarding, educational continuity and trust.”

Chris Dey, the Tory-led council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “The council is currently considering a range of options to ensure we have the right balance of mainstream and specialist school places in Enfield, in the right locations, and to meet the needs of all children and families now and in the future.”

He added: “We recognise reports about potential school changes can cause concerns for families and school communities. We want to reassure parents, pupils and staff that there are no imminent changes to school provision in the borough. Enfield schools continue to operate as normal.”

Across London over the past five years, around 90 schools have closed or merged – although the vast majority until now have been in inner London.

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