Richmond Council has proposed closing Kew Riverside Primary School in Kew next summer due to a decline in pupil numbers, despite the school receiving a positive Ofsted inspection and strong support from parents. The 210-capacity school currently has 87 pupils, according to Achieving for Children (AfC), Richmond's children's services contractor, with numbers expected to drop further over the next five years.
AfC stated that even after the school streamlined staff and cut costs, it faces a projected budget deficit of more than £400,000 by 2028/29. The proposal comes as Richmond experiences a steady drop in primary-school-aged children due to falling birth rates and families moving away, which squeezes school budgets as government funding is tied to pupil numbers.
Parents Raise Concerns at Council Meeting
Parents raised concerns about the proposed closure at a council meeting on Tuesday night (October 6). In a written question ahead of the meeting, parent Adam Smith said: "Families returned from summer break only to have their children settled in and now face uncertainty about the school's future. This is a thriving, close-knit school with strong community support, significant SEND [special educational needs and disabilities] provision and a very positive Ofsted inspection on July 26."
Mr Smith noted the school is not currently in deficit, only projected deficit from 2027, and questioned why the council is pushing for closure now rather than allowing time to build on the Ofsted outcome and attract new families. He urged the council to give the school time to pursue alternatives to closure.
Lib Dem Councillor Julia Cambridge, Chair of the Education Committee, said no final decision had been made on the school's future, with the authority due to consider all feedback provided during the consultation once it closes on October 16. She said the school could not cut costs further without compromising curriculum delivery, with its remaining reserves expected to be exhausted by the end of the academic year.
Council Cites Demographic Changes
Cllr Cambridge stated: "It must be stated unequivocally that the proposal in no way is a reflection of any concerns regarding the quality of education, school leadership or teaching standards. Now this proposal is driven entirely by significant external borough-wide demographic changes, including a sustained drop in birth rates and broader demographic shifts across Greater London as families relocate and go out of the capital."
While pupil numbers in many London schools are falling, demand for SEND spaces is increasing. When a new specialist SEND school opened in Richmond in time for the current school year, Council Leader Gareth Roberts said it marked "an important milestone for Clarendon School, local families and our borough" as it would prevent SEND pupils travelling outside the borough.
Ofsted Report Praises School
In a report published in September, Ofsted praised staff at Kew Riverside for making sure pupils' wellbeing and other needs were well met, while describing students as typically achieving well and the school's curriculum as ambitious. Inspectors found children with SEND and those known to social care were supported well, with disadvantaged students benefitting from thoughtful use of extra funding and pupils' characters nurtured well.
The committee meeting was told the school currently supports 17 pupils with SEND and six students with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Shocked parents have also praised the school in letters published on its website, which call for it to stay open.
One parent wrote: "Kew Riverside is far more than just a school to our family. It is a place where my children feel safe, supported, known and valued. The staff have built genuine relationships with our children, and as a parent, I have felt listened to and supported throughout our time there." Another added: "I simply cannot understand why a school that is clearly thriving, with happy children, exceptional teachers, fantastic results, and such a positive Ofsted report, is being considered for closure."
A third said: "We chose Kew Riverside because it feels like home and all the teachers are incredible especially with my son who needs special care. They have loved him and cared for him like their own."
The council is set to meet with staff and families in November to discuss their concerns. If the authority moves ahead with the proposals, it would shut the school at the end of the academic year, with every pupil guaranteed a place at Darell Primary School, in Kew, and the option to apply to other schools with space.
A separate proposal seeks to bring together Hampton Wick Infant and Nursery School and St John the Baptist Church of England Junior School to create a "single, sustainable 210-place primary school with an integrated nursery". This involves closing one school and extending the age range of the other due to falling pupil numbers at both.
