Hackney Council, stop the closures of our primary schools! 
Pause, review, and hold meaningful consultations with the whole community.

On 19 September Hackney Council announced the closure in July 2025 of four primary schools: St Thomas Abney; Oldhill; St Dominics and St Marys Primary Schools - with two further schools Holmleigh and Harrington Hill affected by so called 'mergers'.

This represents further heartbreak and disruption for children, parents and staff, as the closures come in the wake of the shutting of four other Hackney primaries and a failed merger last year.  

We are deeply concerned that some families and staff will be impacted multiple times with this flawed approach to dealing with falling rolls, a housing crisis and the chronic underfunding of our schools.  Children with special needs will be worst hit.  On top of this are threatened cuts to youth services, all of which could blight the life chances of a generation.

Schools are the lifeblood of Hackney: they are community hubs which play a key role in determining the future of our borough.  Yet the consultation on this decision was rushed and meaningless. There is every indication from Hackney Council that the outcome is predetermined. 

We the undersigned demand that Hackney Council pauses and reviews the process, and acts as follows:
Hold a genuine and wide ranging consultation, across council departments, communities & trade unions to determine long term joined-up strategy looking at the causes of the schools crisis including the housing crisis, education underfunding and to address youth provision in the borough
 A thorough review of SEND provision to investigate the possibilities for further developing inclusion and in-borough provision including SEND Hubs in schools.
Before making any decision on closures/mergers, await the passing of the new Children's Wellbeing & Schools Bill, which will give new freedoms to local authorities to open new schools.
Lobby the new Labour government to address this crisis and fund our schools
Where there is a broad agreement or potential for mergers, the councils must ensure that these are genuine and not just one school shutting and being lost to the community.

Hackney, let’s work together: don’t fail a generation!