School closures threaten London’s future as a city for families

Soho Parish C of E Primary School, one of a dwindling number of state primary schools in central London, is fighting to keep its doors open as falling pupil numbers and mounting financial pressures take their toll.

Established on Great Windmill Street in the late 19th century, the school has seen its enrolment plummet from 180 in 2018 to just 105 pupils in 2024. The drop, compounded by a £200,000 annual funding deficit, underscores the demographic and economic challenges reshaping London as a city for families.

The school’s headteacher, Alix Ascough, told MyLondon that its closure would mean “losing that beating heart of the community”. She explained: “People talk about Soho being a village, and when you think of a village you think of a pub and a church and a school. To not have a school, you’re losing that beating heart of the community.”

The challenges facing schools like Soho Parish are seen as part of a wider trend prompting questions about London’s capacity to accommodate families and multigenerational communities. 

Tim Lord, chair of the executive committee at The Soho Society, emphasised the school’s importance to the area: “The Soho Parish School is by all accounts a fantastic school that creates well-rounded and confident children that love going to school there. We encourage all families in Soho and any parents that work in Soho to consider it for their child. Children love cities and they do well here.”

The struggles of Soho Parish reflect wider issues. London’s birthrate has fallen by 20% over the past decade, with rising living costs, post-Brexit migration, and the impact of Covid-19 driving families out of the city. London local authorities predict a further decline of 52,000 primary school pupils by 2028.

Schools across the city are being forced to close. In nearby Clerkenwell, the Church of England Parochial School shut its doors after 321 years in 2021, unable to withstand similar demographic pressures. Boroughs such as Camden, Southwark, and Hackney have also seen multiple closures in recent years.

The closure of local primary schools highlights potential challenges for London’s social infrastructure. As schools often function as community hubs, their loss may reduce support networks and make London less attractive as a location for young families. 

Local government is grappling with how to manage these challenges. While some councils propose repurposing schools into nurseries or family hubs, others warn of the permanent loss of educational assets. London Councils, which represents the 32 boroughs and the City of London, has called for more flexible funding mechanisms to sustain schools through periods of low enrolment.