A public consultation on the future organisation of Viking and Downe Manor primary schools has opened today, 5 October.
The consultation will run for six weeks, with parents, pupils, staff, governors and residents all encouraged to share their views. People can take part through the survey now available on the councilโs Have Your Say Ealing website.
Ealing Councilโs cabinet will consider the consultation responses before deciding whether to publish a statutory proposal for any changes.
The decision to consult follows a report to the cabinet member responsible for schools and education, which proposed asking communities for their views on a range of options for the future of the 2 Northolt schools. These include the councilโs preferred option to close Viking Primary School and merge with Downe Manor from September 2027. This option would mean that all children who are enrolled at Viking Primary School when it closes would transfer to Downe Manor.
The consultation includes other options, including maintaining the current arrangements, as well as other ways to reduce the number of school places in the area.
The councilโs decision to consult on this issue reflects that, like many London boroughs, Ealing has seen a significant drop in primary pupil numbers over the past decade. This creates financial challenges for schools because they receive their funding from the government based on the number of pupils they have. Fewer pupils means less money. If a school doesnโt have enough funding, it can impact their staffing, facilities and their ability to offer the full curriculum. ย
Councillor Blerina Hashani, Ealing Council's cabinet member for a fairer start, said:
We want all children in Ealing to have the best possible start in life. That means a good education, with access to a full curriculum, in a modern, high-quality learning environment.โฏTo make sure our schools receive enough funding to offer this now and, in the future, we need to carefully manage school places to match demand.โฏย
I know people care deeply about their local schools so I would encourage parents, pupils, staff, governors and residents of both school communities to share their views as part of the consultation process.
The council hasnโt made any decisions on the future of Viking and Downe Manor, and I want to hear from as many people as possible before we do. Your views will inform our decision, so if these proposals impact you, please get involved and take part in the consultation.โ
