Goldfinch Primary School in Streatham is set to close in August 2025

Goldfinch Primary School in Streatham, run by the Dunraven Trust, is due to close in August 2025.

The School, previously known as Eardley, has been open since 1894 and was considered by families and staff to be a thriving primary school until the Dunraven Trust unexpectedly announced plans for its closure.

One Goldfinch teacher commented,

“We’ve put our hearts into this school. It’s a real community and the children are at the centre of everything we do.

Goldfinch isn’t just where we work; it’s where we’ve seen children grow, thrive and find their voices.

We’re still turning up every day, doing our best for the children, but the truth is we haven’t even had time to process what’s happening and we are still waiting for answers weeks later.

We’re heartbroken, and the children are the ones who will lose the most.”

This is part of a wider trend of primary schools across inner London closing due to falling numbers of primary-aged pupils across the city.

However staff at Goldfinch say the news in April came as a huge shock as some year groups still had full classes and neither staff nor pupils had been warned the Trust had plans to close the school.

Barbara L’Episcopo, Wandsworth NEU joint Branch Secretary commented,

“Goldfinch primary should not be closing.

Usually where we are seeing school closures, pupil numbers have fallen significantly with classes less than half full. That is not the case at Goldfinch which still has a healthy roll and ​classes sizes of on average 23.

School closures are devastating for children and family, and Dunraven’s failure to meaningfully consult the community or consider alternatives is indefensible.

We also have major concerns over how the closure has been handled from inaccurate HR advice being provided to staff to the short notice provided to families.”

Dunraven Trust is overall in good financial health and pays its CEO £176,000 a year.

Background

The plans to close the school were first announced on 24th April with no prior warning, an initial consultation was due to close on 13th May, but was extended to close 9th June after unions complained a fortnight consultation is appalling for a school closure.

Despite the final consultation the school has not officially announced the decision, but it has been made absolutely clear the school will close.