More than a quarter of Westminster's primary school places are empty

The proportion of empty primary school places in Westminster has increased to 25.9%, raising concerns about school budgets and potential deficits as funding is linked to pupil enrollment.

Westminster City Council reported risks to school budgets due to declining pupil numbers, suggesting that financial uncertainty from the government complicates long-term planning for schools.

The analysis indicates London's primary schools may experience a 4.4% decline in reception pupils and a 4.3% drop in year seven demand by the 2027/28 academic year.

Local Government Association advocates for multi-year financial settlements to provide councils with a more sustainable long-term planning framework instead of relying on annual financial distributions.

Read at www.standard.co.uk