London families left waiting as school closure process criticised

London Councils released a report on 2 October 2026 warning that protracted school‑closure consultations are causing months of uncertainty for pupils, parents and teachers. The analysis notes that roughly 90 schools have been shut or merged across the capital in the past five years, a trend driven by falling enrolment.

Why closures are becoming more common

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Between 2013 and 2023 the number of children under nine in London fell by 99,100, even as the overall city population grew by 506,000, according to the report. Una O’Halloran, leader of Islington Council and London Councils’ executive member for children and education, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that lower birth rates, housing costs and remote‑working patterns are behind the decline. “Birth rate is falling, numbers are especially low in inner London,” she said.

Current procedures leave schools empty

The document says boroughs must apply to the Secretary of State before repurposing a closed school, a step that can take months. During that time the building remains unused while families wait for new placements and staff consider their employment options. London Councils argues that the delay adds emotional strain, with headteachers describing the experience as “traumatic” and “horrendous”.

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We need to make it easier to decide what to do with closed school buildings so they don’t sit empty for too long.

Una O’Halloran, Islington Council leader

Examples of quicker repurposing

Some boroughs have found ways to put vacant space to use while waiting for DfE approval. Hammersmith and Fulham Council has leased surplus classrooms to private and community groups, generating more than £100,000 a year for a host school. In Bexley, surplus capacity has been turned into 122 new places for children with special educational needs and disabilities across nine schools, an initiative that the report estimates saves about £8 million by reducing out‑of‑area placements. Croydon uses spare rooms to run a unit that supports asylum‑seeking children entering mainstream schools.

London Councils is pressing the Department for Education to adopt a uniform closure framework and to grant boroughs immediate authority to reassign vacant sites. The DfE has not responded to requests for comment. If the recommendations are accepted, future closures could be handled more swiftly, limiting the period families spend in uncertainty.