SAVE EAST HALTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Stop Closure by Stealth and Protect Local Education

East Halton Primary School is more than a school building.

For generations it has been at the heart of village life, educating local children, bringing families together and helping to sustain a thriving community.

Many parents attended the school themselves. Grandparents have watched multiple generations pass through its doors. Friendships, community events and village identity have all been shaped by the presence of a local school at the heart of East Halton.

Today, that future is under threat.

The Humber Estuary Federation has confirmed that from September 2026 there will be no Nursery, Reception or Key Stage 1 provision operating on the East Halton Primary School site.

Children will instead be educated at Goxhill Primary School whilst remaining dual registered, with East Halton remaining their main registered school.

Many parents and residents believe this represents a gradual reduction in educational provision that threatens the long-term future of our village school.

This is now the second occasion on which similar arrangements have been introduced and concerns within the community are escalating.

Why We Are Concerned

Protecting Our Children

The welfare of our children must come first.

Many families are deeply concerned about the impact of relocating very young children away from their local school environment.

Some of the affected pupils are among the most vulnerable in our community, including children who have previously been looked after by the local authority and children who rely upon stability, consistency and trusted relationships.

Parents are concerned about:

• Daily travel arrangements for very young children.

• Disruption to established friendships and support networks.

• The emotional impact of repeated changes to educational arrangements.

• The cumulative effect of uncertainty on children’s wellbeing.

This is particularly concerning given that a similar proposal was implemented previously and children are once again facing disruption to their education.

Communication and Leadership Concerns

Many parents feel there has been a lack of meaningful engagement with families throughout this process.

Repeated requests for meetings and direct discussions with senior leadership have left many feeling unheard and excluded from decisions affecting their children.

Communication regarding educational planning, future arrangements and the long-term strategy for the school has often been unclear, leaving families uncertain about what lies ahead.

Confidence within the community has been significantly damaged.

Staffing Stability

Parents have also expressed concerns regarding the apparent turnover of teaching staff and the impact this may have on continuity of education.

Children thrive when they have stable relationships with trusted adults.

Many families are concerned that repeated staffing changes risk undermining the consistency and stability children need to succeed.

The Future of East Halton Primary School

Perhaps the greatest concern is what happens next.

If there is no Nursery, Reception or Key Stage 1 provision operating on the East Halton site, there will inevitably be fewer children progressing through the school in future years.

Many parents fear this could create a cycle of declining pupil numbers which ultimately threatens the viability of the remaining school provision.

This is why so many residents describe the current strategy as a form of “closure by stealth”.

We are not claiming the school is closing today.

We are asking a simple question:

If no new children are entering the school at the lower age groups, how can the long-term future of the school be secured?

Once a village school is lost, it is rarely recovered.

A Growing Village Needs a School

East Halton is not a declining village.

A planning application for approximately 40 new homes has recently been submitted, demonstrating future growth and increasing demand for local services.

Reducing educational provision while the village is expected to grow makes little sense to parents and residents.

Local education should be strengthened, not reduced.

What We Are Asking For

We call upon the Humber Estuary Federation, North Lincolnshire Council, the Department for Education and our local MP to:

• Pause implementation of these arrangements pending further review.

• Publish safeguarding, transport and equality impact assessments relating to the decision.

• Provide full transparency regarding consultation outcomes and pupil forecasting data.

• Undertake an independent review into governance, leadership, decision-making and stakeholder engagement.

• Produce a clear long-term strategy demonstrating how East Halton Primary School will remain sustainable.

• Commit to protecting local educational provision for future generations.

This Is About Our Community

This petition is not about individuals.

It is not about politics.

It is about protecting children, preserving local education and ensuring that decisions affecting our community are transparent, accountable and properly scrutinised.

East Halton deserves a school.

Our children deserve stability.

Our community deserves answers.

this does not only effect parents, it effects every amazing resident of East Halton, it effects our community our village shop or wonderful pub.. it effects the longevity of this beautiful village. 

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