The East London schools which may be forced to merge due to falling pupil numbers

Two East London schools could merge due to falling pupil numbers (stock image)
-Credit:Fairfax Media / Getty


Plans to merge two Tower Hamlets schools due to falling pupil numbers are set to be considered by the council. If eventually approved, Globe Primary School and Rachel Keeling Nursery School will amalgamate to become an all-through primary school for children aged 3 to 11 years old.

The new school would be known as Globe Primary School, and would come into effect from September 2025. Tower Hamlets Council's cabinet are set to decide on the next stages of the plans at a meeting later tonight (January 29). According to a consultation report, the west of the borough has seen an excess of school places due to falling pupil numbers and a demographic change.

It noted: "In addition, the [Department for Education] reduced the options for local authorities to supplement early years funding which the mayor had previously been able to use to sustain quality provision in Tower
Hamlets nursery schools."

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Under the plans, Rachel Keeling Nursery School would close but the building would stay open as it would be the nursery provision for the new school
Under the plans, Rachel Keeling Nursery School would close but the building would stay open as it would be the nursery provision for the new school -Credit:Google Street View

A public consultation took place between September and October 2024 where parents, staff and governors from both schools shared their views on the plans. The plans received an overwhelming amount of support with all 88 responses from both schools in favour of the plans.

In a joint statement the two schools said the amalgamation aims to make better use of resources and staff across both educational settings. Rachel Keeling Nursery has capacity for up to 120 children, but as of September 1, 2024, the school had 65 pupils.

Globe Primary has a published admission number of 45 pupils for each year group. As of September 1, 2024, the school had 33 pupils in the nursery class and 327 children from Reception to Year 6. If the plans are approved, the new school would have a nursery provision of up to 90 places and would accommodate the displaced Rachel Keeling pupils.

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Rachel Keeling Nursery would close in August 2025, though the actual school site would stay open, as it's set to become the nursery provision for the new school. The schools jointly told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "The proposal to merge Globe Primary and Rachel Keeling Nursery Schools aims to provide smoother transitions for children and make better use of resources and staff across both educational settings.

"Joining the two sites will also help to ensure high-quality education is maintained and make the nursery provision more financially sustainable." They added: "We are committed to supporting staff and families throughout the process to make any transition as smooth as possible. If the proposals are agreed at cabinet on January 29, we will continue with the statutory consultation to allow for any additional feedback."

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