Teachers left shocked as 'thriving' historic south London primary school to close after 131 years

The school first opened in 1894 and used to be known as Eardley school

Goldfinch Primary School will close during the summer, the NEU has revealed

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Jacob Phillips

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A “thriving” 131-year-old London primary school will close at the end of the school year.

Staff at Goldfinch Primary School in Streatham say they have been left waiting for answers after the Dunraven Educational Trust announced plans to close due to a drop in pupil numbers.

Union representatives have insisted the school still has a healthy roll with an average of 23 pupils in each class.

But a Trust spokesperson, explaining the reasons for the closure, said: “falling birthrate in London, declining school roll, increased costs of running a school and reducing ‘real terms’ funding have all contributed to the situation leaving the school in an impossible situation.”

It comes as scores of schools have been forced to close or merge across the capital due to plummeting pupil numbers.

A drop in birth rates in the capital, driven by a lack of affordable housing, the cost of living crisis and the aftermath of Brexit and the Covid pandemic, means that classrooms have been left half empty.

Nearby St Anne’s Church of England School, in Wandsworth, is also due to close at the end of the academic year after just eight children joined its reception class.

The NEU explained that classes were still full of pupils when plans were first announced to close Goldfinch on April 24 with no prior warning.

An initial consultation was due to end on May 13, but was extended until June 9 after unions complained a fortnight was not long enough for it to take place.

The school, which first opened in 1894 and was previously known as Eardley, will now close in August, subject to approval by the Schools Minister, ahead of the next academic year.

One Goldfinch teacher explained: “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.

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“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.”

Union representatives have insisted that the Dunraven Trust is in good financial health, with its CEO reportedly earning £176,000 a year.

Barbara L'Episcopo, Wandsworth NEU joint Branch Secretary, insisted that the school should not be closing.

She said: “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.”

A statement by Dunraven Educational Trust, released to the Standard on Thursday, said: “It is with great sadness that we have to confirm the decision to propose the closure of Goldfinch Primary School. The final decision lies ultimately with the Schools Minister but we cannot currently foresee any circumstances where the proposal wouldn’t be approved.

“This decision has not been taken lightly nor has it been hasty. Despite the best efforts of the school leaders and Trust team working together over the last few years, it has not been possible to get the school to a position where it is financially viable.

“The school budget has required a sizable subsidy from reducing Trust reserves to set a balanced budget for a number of years. This situation is unsustainable. The falling birthrate in London, declining school roll, increased costs of running a school and reducing ‘real terms’ funding have all contributed to the situation leaving the school in an impossible situation.

“We are very proud of all that has been achieved at Goldfinch and very grateful to the dedicated staff team for all of their hard work. It is very sad that a school as positive as this and with such a history cannot be sustained into the future. However, there is no additional funding from the Department for Education for schools in this position.

“A number of primary and secondary schools have closed in this part of London already and more closures are planned. This is true of both local authority schools as well as academies. This is, sadly, not a situation that is unique to us.

We are very grateful to colleagues from Wandsworth and other local authorities who have helped to ensure that all children at Goldfinch have a place in a new school ready for September 2025. We’re grateful too for the support of colleagues during the formal consultation process.”

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