Primary pupils in Islington, London, protested against their schools' impending closures due to budget deficits and declining enrollment. Students from St Jude and St Paul's and Highbury Quadrant schools joined a bus tour to Town Hall, voicing concerns through placards and chants. Teachers and parents believe that the proposed closures unfairly target schools serving disadvantaged students. They expressed worries about how the changes would affect children, especially those with special educational needs, and criticized the council for not addressing the underlying issues behind the financial shortfalls effectively.
As we rode from Canonbury to the Town Hall on Thursday, striking staff from Highbury Quadrant argued there were much higher budget shortfalls at other schools, but these have not been earmarked for closure.
I had 26 pupils in my class. The numbers have only dropped further now since they announced the schools were closing. Yes, we have a deficit and our building needs repairs. But what has the council done to address that over the years?
Colleagues and parents are also worried that children, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or for whom English is a second language, will get the same kind of attention and care if they have to change schools.
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