The affected schools are St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, Oldhill Community School, and Sir Thomas Abney Primary School
Four Hackney primary schools will close permanently in September 2025, following a formal decision by the council’s Cabinet, amid a significant decline in pupil numbers and mounting financial pressures. The closures come as part of a wider effort by the council to safeguard the future of education provision in the borough, by adapting to the reality of falling enrolment across London.
The affected schools are St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, Oldhill Community School, and Sir Thomas Abney Primary School. While the first two will close completely, Oldhill will merge with Harrington Hill Primary School, which will expand to two forms of entry and add a new specialist provision for autistic pupils. Similarly, Sir Thomas Abney will merge with Holmleigh Primary School, which will relocate to the Sir Thomas Abney site and take over the language resource provision (LRP) previously run there.
These structural changes have been under consultation since September 2024, with the council stressing the urgency of addressing what it calls a “long-term and ongoing decline” in primary school-aged children across Hackney. Between 2017 and 2024, Hackney’s primary school rolls shrank by 2,399 pupils, and projections suggest a further drop of 2,637 children over the next decade—bringing the total number to just 13,648 by 2035.
The impact of this demographic shift is stark: 23 percent of all reception places in Hackney were unfilled as of October 2024. Given that school budgets are tied directly to pupil numbers, this has placed immense strain on schools’ abilities to remain financially viable. Fewer students mean less money to hire staff, maintain school buildings, invest in teaching resources, or organise enrichment activities—ultimately affecting the quality of education on offer.
Hackney Council says it has been forced to make the difficult decision in order to protect the borough’s overall education provision and ensure resources are used effectively. “Not Enough Children to Fill Our Schools”
Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children’s Social Care, acknowledged the gravity of the decision.
“It is with a heavy heart that we have had to decide for the second time in as many years to close four of our primary schools because there simply aren’t enough children in Hackney,” she said.
“Like many other local authorities across London and the country, we face incredible pressures in trying to maintain balanced budgets, and cannot afford to maintain schools that are not financially viable. Unfortunately, this means we have to make difficult choices to ensure we are able to continue to offer the high-quality education that our children and families deserve.” She added that the council would continue to encourage collaboration among schools and partners to share best practices and build a more resilient and effective education system across Hackney.
Support for Families and Staff
To support families, pupils, and staff through the closures, Hackney Council has developed a comprehensive transition package. Parents and carers will receive tailored handbooks to guide them through the next steps, while pupils and families will be invited to attend mental health and wellbeing workshops. Admissions support and community coffee mornings are also part of the plan to help families find suitable alternative school places.
Staff from the closing schools will be supported with professional development, pensions advice, and access to skills training. Each closing school will also receive £30,000 to maintain their education offer throughout the final term, ensuring a stable learning environment for children during the transition.
Families affected by the changes will be eligible for school uniform grants to ease the cost burden of transferring to a new school. Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will receive enhanced support, with SEND coordinators working closely with the wider educational support teams to manage individual transitions carefully.
A Painful But Necessary Move
While the decision is painful for many in the community—particularly those who have strong ties to the affected schools—the council maintains that this consolidation is essential for ensuring that Hackney’s school system remains financially and educationally sustainable.
“Our schools have built a lasting legacy within their local communities, and their absence will be profoundly missed,” Cllr Bramble said. “But great schools are the rule, not the exception in our borough—and families going through the transition will find a new place for their child where they will receive just as much care, love and support as they have in the past.”
As Hackney and other boroughs across London continue to grapple with demographic and economic challenges, the closure of schools may become a more common feature in the years ahead. But for now, the council’s priority is ensuring that those most directly impacted by these closures are supported through what will be a difficult but necessary change.
