As executive headteacher of four Hackney primary schools, Mandeville, Gayhurst, Kingsmead, and Grasmere, I have a unique vantage point watching and working within the unfolding crisis in inner-city education.
What we’re seeing across Hackney is nothing short of devastating: four schools closed last year, and six more are expected to close or merge in the year ahead.
Widely acknowledged falling birth rates, soaring housing costs, and a relentless cost-of-living crisis mean fewer families with young children can afford to live in inner London. And as school rolls decline, school budgets shrink - often to breaking point.
School leaders have long known the consequences. It’s a brutal financial reality: if pupil numbers fall below a critical threshold, schools become unsustainable.
No one wants to close a school. Primary schools are more than educational settings. They are food banks, health hubs, safe havens, and second homes. Their loss leaves a gaping void - a loss that can’t be replaced.
Years of chronic underfunding have stripped councils of the ability to act. There is no cushion, no safety net. And so, school leaders across Hackney are left fighting for survival - working harder than ever to keep their schools not just open but thriving.
Three of the LEAP schools - Mandeville, Kingsmead and Gayhurst - are graded 'outstanding' - the top rating - by Ofsted in every category, partly due to their bespoke curriculum and dedicated, innovative staff team. And this September, all four of our schools are full in Reception.
In today’s climate, that’s no small feat. These numbers are earned by dedicated staff who have adapted with integrity and care.
Although we serve distinct communities, we benefit from shared governance, collaborative leadership, and the economies of scale that the school federation brings. We work closely with the local authority to ensure that the council leaders can hear what is happening on the ground in our communities.
This is about more than education. It’s about the kind of city we want London to be.
If we want families to stay and belong, we must protect education. That means tackling the housing emergency, restoring social housing, and investing in the public infrastructure that holds communities together.
Central government must act. Without intervention, we risk not just school closures, but the slow dismantling of the communities they serve.
We will continue to fight - for our pupils, our families, and the values that define Hackney’s inclusive, community-rooted schools. We’re doing everything we can.
- Louise Nichols is the executive headteacher of the LEAP Federation of Schools.
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