FAQs

The London Borough of Waltham Forest is consulting on a proposal to close Edinburgh Primary School.

No decision has been made to close the school. 

The Council wants to hear the views of pupils, parents and carers, staff, governors, neighbouring schools and the wider community before deciding whether to proceed with the proposal.

The number of children requiring primary school places in Waltham Forest has fallen significantly in recent years. As a result, there are more mainstream primary school places available across the borough than are needed.

At the same time, demand for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision has increased.

The Council has a statutory responsibility to ensure there are sufficient school places for children and families. It must also consider how school buildings and resources can be used effectively to support high-quality education and respond to changing needs.

Edinburgh Primary School has experienced a substantial and sustained decline in pupil numbers. The Council is therefore consulting on whether it remains sustainable to operate the school as a mainstream primary school.

The Council has considered several factors, including:

• The significant reduction in pupil numbers over time
• The school's level of surplus capacity
• Forecast demand for primary school places across the borough and specifically in Markhouse ward (Walthamstow south-west planning area)
• The financial sustainability of maintaining the school
• The availability of places at other local schools
• The wider pattern of surplus capacity in the surrounding area

The school's pupil numbers have fallen from 620 in 2016/17 to 109 in 2026/27. This is a reduction of more than 80%, and the school is currently operating at approximately 17% of its physical capacity of 630 pupils.

The Council has previously supported reductions in the school's Published Admission Number (PAN) and changes to staffing arrangements to reflect lower pupil numbers. However, pupil numbers have continued to fall.

These factors have led the Council to consult on the school's future.

No. Edinburgh Primary School was judged Good by Ofsted in 2024 and has produced good outcomes for pupils.

The proposal is not based on an assessment that the school is providing a poor quality of education. It reflects the sustained decline in pupil numbers, the availability of places elsewhere and the longer-term sustainability of maintaining a school with substantial unused capacity.

The Council recognises the positive contribution that the school makes to its pupils, families, staff and local community.

No. The Council is consulting on a proposal, and no final decision has been made.

The consultation is an opportunity for people to express their views, raise concerns, provide additional evidence and suggest alternatives. The Council will consider all responses before deciding whether to proceed.

The consultation will run for six weeks:

Opens: Friday 16 October 2026.

Closes: 11:59pm, Friday 27 November 2026.

Responses must be submitted by the closing date to be included in the formal consultation analysis.

Anyone with an interest in the proposal can respond. This includes:

• Pupils at Edinburgh Primary School
• Parents and carers
• School staff and governors
• Families and staff at neighbouring schools
• Local residents and community organisations
• Other interested individuals and organisations

The Council particularly welcomes feedback from families whose children have Education Health Care Plans (EHCPs), receive SEND support or have other needs that may make a change of school more challenging.

You can share your views through the online consultation survey here or by submitting a response directly to the Council using the contact details published on the consultation webpage.

The Council will also provide opportunities to participate through engagement sessions that will take place online and in person.

Information about dates, venues and how to attend are published on the consultation webpage. Information on postal responses and alternative formats are also available by contacting sharie.omoragbon01@walthamforest.gov.uk 

You can comment on any aspect of the proposal. You may wish to explain:

• Whether you support or oppose the proposal and why
• How closure could affect children, families, staff or the wider community
• Any concerns about alternative school places, travel, accessibility or educational support
• The potential impact on children with SEND or other additional needs
• Any alternatives the Council should consider
• What support would be needed if closure were approved

You do not need to answer every question. You can provide as much or as little information as you wish.

The Council will analyse the responses received and consider the issues, concerns and additional evidence raised.

The consultation findings will be presented to the Council's Cabinet in a report. Cabinet will consider these findings alongside the available evidence before deciding whether to proceed with the proposal.

The consultation does not predetermine the outcome, and the Council will not make a final decision until the consultation has concluded and responses have been properly considered.

The school's pupil numbers have declined significantly over the last decade.

In 2016/17, the school had 620 pupils. In 2026/27, the recorded pupil roll on school census day (1^st October 2026) was 109. The school has a physical capacity of 630 pupils and is currently operating at approximately 17% of that capacity.

This means that a substantial proportion of the school's available places are unfilled.

The Council has already supported reductions in the school's Published Admission Number (PAN) in response to falling demand.

 The PAN has been reduced over time, including a permanent reduction in 2022/23, and was reduced to 30 reception places for 2026/27.

Despite these measures, pupil numbers have continued to decline. The Council must therefore consider whether further reductions would provide a sustainable long-term future for the school or whether closure should be considered.

The consultation provides an opportunity for people to comment on this assessment and suggest alternatives.

Yes. Falling demand for primary school places is a borough-wide challenge, although the level of surplus capacity varies between areas and individual schools.

The Council's evidence identifies particularly high levels of surplus capacity around Leyton South, Walthamstow South-West and Walthamstow North-East. These areas have been prioritised for consideration as part of the Creating Stronger Schools programme.

The programme aims to ensure that school places better reflect demand, support the financial sustainability of schools and help direct resources towards educational quality and increasing SEND provision.

Creating Stronger Schools is the Council's programme for responding to changes in demand for school places and the growing need for SEND provision.

The programme objectives include:

• Reducing excessive surplus capacity
• Supporting the financial sustainability of schools
• Ensuring sufficient school places are available where they are needed
• Focusing resources on high-quality education
• Increasing SEND provision within the borough
• Considering appropriate future uses for school buildings no longer needed for mainstream education

The proposal concerning Edinburgh Primary School forms part of this wider work.

The Council's current school place-planning information indicates that neighbouring schools collectively have sufficient capacity to accommodate pupils from Edinburgh Primary School if closure is approved.

Using Google maps, schools within approximately half a mile of Edinburgh Primary School with reported vacant places include:

• Thomas Gamuel Primary School
• Barn Croft Primary School
• St Saviour's Church of England School

Other schools within approximately one mile with reported vacant places include:

• Sybourn Primary School
• Coppermill Primary School
• St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
• St Mary’s Church of England School
• Stoneydown Park School
• Henry Maynard Primary School

The Council recognises that having sufficient places across the local area does not automatically mean that every school will be suitable for every child. Individual circumstances, including SEND, accessibility, travel arrangements and pastoral support, will need to be considered on an individual basis.

No specific placement arrangements have been finalised because no decision has been made to close the school.

If closure is approved, the Council would work with families to identify suitable alternative schools and support them through the admissions process. The Council is proposing an extraordinary admissions process to help facilitate the transfer of pupils where required by parents and carers if a decision is eventually made to close the school.

The Council would also monitor applications and pupil destinations to help ensure that every child has a suitable school place.

Further details would be provided to families if the proposal proceeds.

The Council would seek to ensure that families have the opportunity to express their preferences and identify a suitable alternative school.

Families would receive information and support to consider available options and submit applications. However, individual placements would be subject to the applicable admissions arrangements and the availability of places.

The Council would work with families to understand their circumstances and help identify an appropriate school.

No receiving-school arrangements have been decided.

If closure is approved, the Council would work with families and local schools to support the transfer of pupils. The aim would be to identify suitable placements that take account of children's individual needs and family circumstances, subject to available places and admissions requirements.

The Council would not want families to assume that their children would automatically be required to attend a particular school.

If closure is eventually approved, the Council and schools would work together to support children through transition.

Support could include opportunities to visit their new school, meet staff, become familiar with the school environment and take part in transition activities.

The Council would work with Edinburgh Primary School and receiving schools to identify children who may need additional support, including those experiencing anxiety about change or who rely on established routines, friendships and pastoral relationships.

Yes. The Council recognises that changing schools may affect how children travel to school and the practical arrangements families make each day.

Travel distance, journey times, accessibility and the impact on children with disabilities or additional needs are important considerations.

The consultation is an opportunity for families to explain how the proposal could affect their individual circumstances. The Council will consider this feedback before making a decision.

Any travel assistance would be considered in line with the Council's applicable home-to-school travel policies and eligibility criteria.

The Council recognises that a school is much more than a place of learning. It provides friendships, trusted relationships, routines and a sense of belonging.

Moving school can be unsettling, particularly for children who have attended Edinburgh Primary School for several years or who find changes in routine difficult.

If closure is approved, the Council would work with schools and families to support transitions. The consultation is also an opportunity to explain any particular concerns about children's wellbeing and what support may be needed.

The Council recognises that a change of school can have a particular impact on children with SEND, including children who receive SEN Support or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

The suitability of an alternative placement would need to take account of each child's individual needs, including accessibility, specialist support, therapies, communication needs, established routines and the availability of appropriate provision.

If closure is to be approved, the Council would provide individual support to families and work with receiving schools to help manage transitions.

The Council particularly welcomes feedback from parents and carers of children with SEND to help identify potential impacts and appropriate support.

If closure is approved and a child with an EHCP needs to move school, the Council would provide individual support through the EHCP annual review process.

A named EHCP coordinator would support families where a change of school is required. The child's needs, the provision specified in their EHCP and the suitability of potential placements would be considered as part of the process.

The Council would work with families and relevant professionals to help ensure that the child's needs are considered and that appropriate provision is identified.

Children receiving SEN Support would also need their individual circumstances considered.

If the consultation results in the closure of the school, the Council would work with families and schools to help ensure that relevant information about a child's needs, existing support and strategies for learning are shared appropriately with the receiving school.

Parents and carers are encouraged to explain during the consultation if they believe their child would need specific support to manage a school move.

The Council recognises that some children may find a change of school especially challenging because of anxiety, sensory needs, communication differences or the importance of familiar environments and routines.

If a decision is made to close the school, transition planning would aim to consider individual circumstances. This could include additional visits, opportunities to meet key staff, familiarisation with the new environment and other appropriate support.

Feedback from families will help the Council better understand the potential impact and what arrangements may be needed.

If the consultation leads to the closure of the school, children supported by Children's Social Care, including looked-after children, would receive additional support through existing arrangements.

The Virtual School and relevant professionals would work with families and schools to consider each child's educational needs, wellbeing, safeguarding arrangements and continuity of support.

The Council recognises the importance of maintaining stability for children who may already be experiencing challenging circumstances.

Yes. The Council has completed an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) to help identify potential impacts on different groups and consider appropriate mitigations.

The assessment considers the needs of children with EHCPs, children receiving SEN Support, neurodiverse pupils, children requiring specialist interventions, children supported by Family Help or social workers, and children facing other challenging circumstances.

The Council will consider consultation feedback and any additional evidence to inform its ongoing equality considerations and help identify impacts that may not yet have been fully understood.

No decision has been made about the future use of the site.

If closure is approved, the Council would separately assess the most appropriate future use of the buildings and land. This could include considering whether the site could support alternative educational provision, potentially including SEND provision.

Any future use would need to be assessed against the suitability of the buildings, accessibility, facilities, curriculum requirements and the needs of the children and young people who might use the provision.

Any proposals would be subject to the relevant approval processes and further consultation where required.

No decision has been made to use the site for SEND provision.

The Council is considering the wider need to increase SEND capacity within the borough. If Edinburgh Primary School were to close, the site could be assessed to determine whether it might be suitable for alternative educational provision, potentially including SEND provision.

Further technical and educational assessments would be required before any such proposal could be developed. The future use of the site is not being decided through this consultation.

The Council has considered the partial repurposing of the site. A separate Reception block has already been repurposed and is occupied by a private nursery, providing an income source for the school.

However, this income would not be sufficient to sustain the school in the context of continued low pupil numbers.

Other possible uses of the site would need to be assessed separately to consider sustainable long-term arrangements.

The Council welcomes feedback on alternatives that respondents believe should be considered.

No decision has been made about the future of the site. The current consultation concerns the proposal to consider closing Edinburgh Primary School, not a final decision about the buildings or land.

Any future proposals concerning the site would require separate consideration, including the relevant approvals and consultation where necessary.

Yes. The Council has considered the wider school place-planning position and steps already taken to respond to falling demand.

Options considered include:

• Further reductions in pupil admissions: The school's PAN has already been reduced in response to falling demand, but pupil numbers have continued to decline.
• Federation with another school: The Council considers this unlikely to create a sustainable future for Edinburgh Primary School given the surplus capacity in neighbouring schools.
• Amalgamation with a neighbouring school: The Council considers this unlikely to provide a sustainable solution in an area where other schools also have surplus places.
• Academy conversion: The decline in demand for places in the area presents challenges to the feasibility of academy conversion.
• Partial repurposing of the site: The income from the existing nursery use has not been sufficient to sustain the school long term.
• Other educational models: Alternative educational uses of the site may be possible but would require further exploration.

The consultation provides an opportunity for respondents to suggest other options or provide evidence that the Council should consider.

The Council has considered this option. However, the evidence indicates that neighbouring schools are also operating with surplus capacity.

An amalgamation would therefore need to demonstrate that it could provide a sustainable long-term arrangement and make effective use of the available school places and resources.

The Council's current assessment is that this option is unlikely to create a sustainable future for Edinburgh Primary School. Responses suggesting alternative approaches or additional evidence will be considered as part of the consultation.

The Council has considered academy conversion as one possible option. However, the sustained decline in demand for primary school places in the area presents challenges to the feasibility of this approach.

No alternative organisation or arrangement has been confirmed that would provide a sustainable future for the school.

The Council will consider any relevant suggestions or evidence received during the consultation before making a decision.

The Council recognises that closure would have significant implications for the school's teaching and support staff.

No final decision has been made. If closure is approved, appropriate employment and consultation processes would be followed.

The Council proposes to establish a Teaching and Learning talent pool to explore opportunities for redeployment for teaching and support staff who may otherwise be at risk of redundancy. The Council would work with the school's leadership and recognised trade unions as part of this process however, the council cannot determine how successful this approach will be at this time.

No automatic arrangements have been confirmed.

If closure is approved, the Council would explore opportunities for redeployment through the proposed Teaching and Learning talent pool, alongside the relevant employment processes.

Any redeployment would depend on available vacancies, suitability and the applicable employment arrangements. The Council would work with local Headteachers and recognised trade unions to support affected staff.

The Council intends to engage with school staff and recognised trade unions as part of the consultation process.

If a decision is made to close the school, the appropriate employment consultation processes would also be followed. Staff would receive further information about any relevant arrangements as proposals develop.

Potential benefits identified by the Council include:

• Reducing excessive surplus capacity across the local school system
• Aligning the number of available places more closely with demand
• Supporting the longer-term financial sustainability of schools
• Reducing the pressures associated with maintaining substantially underused school capacity
• Creating an opportunity to consider alternative educational uses of the site
• Potentially increasing local SEND provision if the site is found to be suitable

These are potential benefits rather than guaranteed outcomes. The Council will consider them alongside the impacts and concerns raised during the consultation.

The Council recognises that closure could have significant effects on pupils, families, staff and the wider community.

Potential impacts include disruption to children's education and friendships, changes to travel arrangements, childcare difficulties, the challenges of moving to an unfamiliar school, and the loss of an important community institution.

Some children, particularly those with SEND, disabilities or additional pastoral and safeguarding needs, may require more intensive support during a transition. Staff may also face uncertainty and potential redundancy.

The Council wants to hear directly from those affected to understand these impacts and identify appropriate mitigations before any decision is made.

If Cabinet decides not to proceed with the proposal, Edinburgh Primary School would not close as a result of this proposal.

The Council would need to continue considering the implications of falling pupil numbers, surplus capacity and the school's longer-term sustainability as part of its responsibility for school place planning.

The outcome of the consultation will help inform Cabinet's decision.

The consultation closes on Friday 27 November 2026.

Following the consultation, the Council will analyse the responses and prepare a report setting out the findings for Cabinet. Cabinet is scheduled to consider whether to proceed with a statutory notice to close the school on 12 January 2027.

This would be a decision on whether to proceed to the next stage, not necessarily the final decision to close the school.

If Cabinet decides to proceed, a four-week statutory representation period would follow, providing a further opportunity for representations on the proposed closure.

The statutory process would then continue in accordance with the applicable requirements, including consideration of representations and the necessary decision-making arrangements.

Proceeding to statutory notice would not, by itself, mean that the school had closed.

No closure date has been finalised in the consultation proposal.

Any proposed closure date would depend on the outcome of the consultation and subsequent statutory decision-making process. The Council would provide further information to the school community if the proposal proceeds.

The Council recognises the importance of giving families, pupils and staff clear information and sufficient time to prepare for any changes.

The Council will analyse the feedback received and prepare a report for Cabinet setting out the consultation findings and relevant evidence.

Cabinet will consider the report before deciding whether to proceed with the proposal. Information about the outcome and the next steps will be communicated following the relevant decision.

Further information will be published on the Council's ‘Consultation on a proposal to Close Edinburgh Primary School’ webpage. This will include details of the proposal, how to respond, and opportunities to attend engagement sessions.

The Council will also meet with the Headteacher, Chair of Governors, governing body, staff, pupils and parents and carers. Wider community engagement sessions will provide further opportunities to ask questions and share views.

Alternative formats can be requested by emailing sharie.omoragbon01@walthamforest.gov.uk

The Council welcomes participation from people who may otherwise face barriers to taking part.

You can submit your question or concern through the consultation survey or contact - sharie.omoragbon01@walthamforest.gov.uk directly.

The consultation is intended to identify impacts and issues that may not yet have been fully considered. Your feedback will help the Council understand the implications of the proposal and what it should take into account before making a decision.