London’s plummeting birth rate has become a “challenge” as other areas of the country face a drop in pupil numbers in years to come, the Education Secretary has warned.
In an interview with the Standard, Bridget Phillipson urged councils to “think creatively” about how closed-down schools could be used to help solve the country’s special educational needs (SEND) crisis.
Scores of schools across the capital have already been forced to close or merge together as pupil numbers continue to plummet in London, leaving questions about what may eventually happen to their old buildings.
A drop in birth rates in the capital, driven by the cost of housing, the cost of living crisis, and the aftermath of Brexit and the Covid pandemic, means some primary schools are seeing just a handful of new pupils each year.
According to London Councils, there was a reduction of 27,490 live births across the capital between 2012 and 2022 - with the change being felt especially in the city’s inner boroughs.
Asked if she was concerned about the rate of school closures in London, Ms Phillipson told the Standard: “We are seeing a fall in birth rate that has been more prominent in London but we will see it more in other parts of the country in years to come, with falling rolls at a primary level.
“While a challenge for schools and trusts to manage together, it does also give us an opportunity to use some of the space that is opening up creatively.”
Ms Phillipson highlighted how the Government has begun delivering the first of its 300 nurseries within primary schools, to make sure there are more opportunities for childcare for families.
The Education Secretary also suggested that closed sites could be used to put in place support and provision for children with SEND, “to make sure that our schools are more inclusive”.
Ms Phillipson later added: “I know from lots of conversations I have had with teachers across the country that their big priority for what comes next is around support for children with SEND.
“It is a challenge for lots of parents. They want training and support to deliver a brilliant education… At the moment, we have too many gaps and too many children who are not getting the support they deserve.”
The Education Secretary also explained the Government would set out wider reform of the SEND system through the school’s white paper later on this year.
Earlier this month, an analysis by London Councils found that nearly half of London’s boroughs are at risk of bankruptcy as grants for SEND have not kept pace with rising pressures.
London Councils forecast that deficits for SEND provision will reach £500million by the end of 2026/27.
The latest figures show that the number of children with SEND has skyrocketed from 1.3 million in 2020 to 1.67 million in 2024, with one in four of these children requiring extra help with speech and language.
The Education Secretary said the right support needs to be put in place much earlier for children with SEND, before acknowledging the financial pressures.
She added: “We are putting more money into the system, through school budgets overall but also into SEND reform, but money alone isn’t the answer.
“We need to reform the system to deliver better targeted support much more quickly, more support in mainstream schools for children with additional needs, but also ensuring we have more specialist provision to provide a brilliant education for children with SEND.”
Ms Phillipson also told the Standard that per-pupil funding is rising to record levels following the Spending Review earlier this month and that free school meals have been expanded to cover all families receiving Universal Credit to help lift some of the wider pressures on schools.
Funding for school budgets will be increased by £4.7billion per year by the end of the Spending Review, with London schools receiving the highest levels of funding per pupil in the country.
On average London schools will receive £7,183 per pupil in London in 2025-26, nearly £1,000 more than the national average of £6,443 per pupil.
Speaking on Thank a Teacher Day on Wednesday, the Education Secretary described teachers as the “backbone of the education system” and highlighted how the Government had delivered two pay awards worth over 10% over the course of two years.
She added: “We all remember the teacher who made a difference in our life and that is why as part of our plan to change we are determined to deliver more teachers into classrooms.
“There are green shoots, we are moving in the right direction. More teachers are staying in the profession and I was delighted that we were able to reward two pay awards to our teachers to recognise their fantastic work and professionalism.”
