Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director of Children's Services (Statutory DCS). To be presented by the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools, and Families

Declarations of interest for this item:

None

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Agreed to consult on the proposed admission arrangements, including the co-ordinated schemes for admission of children to schools for the academic year 2027/28.

2.    Agreed to consult on the proposed fair access protocol which, if agreed at Cabinet in February 2026, would be come into force from 1 March 2026. 

3.    Agreed to consult with stakeholders on the proposal to reduce the PANs at selected primary and secondary schools across the borough. The list of schools where a reduction is being proposed is provided in paragraph 6.13 below.

4.    Noted that following the consultation, a report will be prepared summarising the representations received and a decision on the final admission arrangements for 2027/28 will be taken by Cabinet in February 2026.

Reasons for decision

In common with many London authorities, Haringey has been experiencing a decrease in demand for reception school places for several years.  The reasons for Haringey’s declining numbers are multifaceted, but include a combination of falling birth rates, changes to welfare benefits, the housing crisis, increases in the cost of living, the withdrawal of the right of entry and freedom of movement from EU nationals (Brexit) and as a result of families leaving London during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of these factors remain outside the Council’s control and are at no fault of the schools or their current leadership.

A report on Managing School Places and Admissions in London published by London Councils in February 2025 provides some wider context and independent analysis of the issue.

While recent focus has largely been on reducing primary school capacity, forecast demand for secondary school places is also now declining. Year 7 intake is projected to fall below the notional capacity of 2,628 places by the end of the decade. In response, some reductions in secondary capacity have already been implemented to support the sustainability of the school estate and ensure provision aligns with projected demand.

From 2026, Year 7 capacity will reduce to 2,544 places, helping to manage surplus provision. This revised figure reflects permanent reductions at Heartlands High School (from 240 to 210 in 2025), and planned reductions at Hornsey School for Girls and Park View in 2026, to 135 and 189 places respectively. Further reductions may be necessary to maintain a balanced and efficient secondary school estate.

As previously mentioned, several secondary schools referenced in this report are adjusting their Published Admission Numbers (PAN) to reflect changes in class size models. Some are reducing PANs to move from 27 to 30 pupils per class. These schools have agreed with staff unions to increase class sizes from 27 to 30 pupils, in line with Department for Education (DfE) guidance, which recognises 30 as the standard class size in secondary education. This adjustment supports schools in achieving greater operational and financial efficiency through more flexible staffing and improved resource deployment. This approach also supports schools in aligning their financial and staffing structures with current and projected pupil numbers, while continuing to maintain high standards of educational provision.

The proposals outlined in this report to reduce Published Admission Numbers (PAN), including adjustments to class size models from 27 to 30 pupils per class, are intended to support schools in planning their staffing and educational provision more efficiently by aligning capacity with actual and projected demand. This approach reflects Department for Education (DfE) guidance, which recognises 30 pupils as the standard class size in secondary education and enables schools to realise operational and financial benefits. The consultation process we are seeking to initiate will gather stakeholder views on these proposals, with a final decision to be presented to Cabinet in February 2026.

Alternative options considered

We are not proposing any changes to the oversubscription criteria for community and voluntary controlled (VC) schools for the 2027/28 academic year. While the School Admissions Code (2021) allows for various mechanisms to influence the allocation of places—such as designated catchment areas, feeder schools, or prioritisation for children eligible for the early years or pupil premium—no alternative option is being considered at this time.

Our aim is to support schools in achieving long-term sustainability and to introduce greater flexibility across the school estate in response to fluctuating population demand. Reducing PANs is one of several strategies available to schools, alongside strengthening partnerships through soft or hard federations and formal agreements such as memorandums of understanding.

Some neighbouring London boroughs have taken more radical steps to address surplus capacity, including school closures and amalgamations. Last year, the Council consulted on the future of three one-form-entry primary schools and subsequently approved their closure from 31 August 2025, with pupils transferring to local schools. These closures do not affect the consultation or determination of admission arrangements for schools governed by the local authority.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families introduced the report.

It was explained that all schools were required to have clearly defined admission arrangements that set out how children would be admitted, including the criteria applied when applications exceeded available places. Admission arrangements were proposed and determined by the relevant admission authority. For community and voluntary controlled (VC) schools in the borough, the local authority acted as the admission authority.

It was explained that each local authority also was required to publish a co-ordinated admissions scheme, outlining the procedures that all schools and academies had to follow for Reception and secondary transfer admissions. This ensured that every resident was offered a school place in a fair and transparent manner. As the local authority, Haringey had a statutory duty to ensure that all pupils had access to a high-quality school place. Like many London boroughs, Haringey experienced a sustained decline in demand for school places, particularly at the primary level. This trend began to affect secondary admissions, with implications for school budgets and long-term sustainability.

School funding was directly linked to pupil numbers. The funding that a school received from central government was based on the number of children registered. Therefore, when a school's number of children was lower than expected, it received less funding, and this could mean that the school found it difficult to retain and/or recruit enough teachers and support staff to maintain high standards of teaching and learning. The Council had a duty to ensure that school places were organised in a way that enabled all schools to remain financially sustainable while continuing to deliver high standards. The proposed PAN reductions at secondary level, as outlined in this report, were informed by several secondary schools transitioning from a class size model of 27 pupils to 30, following consultation earlier that year with staff unions. This change aligned with national funding assumptions and Department for Education (DfE) guidance, which recognised 30 pupils per class as the standard model in secondary education. The adjustment allowed schools to better align their staffing and financial structures with current and projected pupil numbers, supporting operational sustainability while safeguarding educational quality.

It was explained that the Council continued to work in close partnership with school leaders and governing bodies to support these transitions. This included providing strategic guidance, facilitating collaboration, and helping schools respond effectively to demographic changes. The aim was to ensure that all schools remained resilient and well-positioned to meet the needs of their communities.

It was explained that the proposal sought approval to initiate a six-week statutory consultation.

In response to comments and questions from Councillors Cawley-Harrison, the following information was shared:

• It was explained that the Greater London Authority was undertaking the long term modelling of school intake across London, and that there was no indication that school numbers would be increasing. It was additionally noted that there was a local school place planning report which monitored predicted intake for Haringey, which noted a similar trend.
  
  
• It was stressed that the Council would redeploy any staff effected by reducing roll numbers wherever possible but stressed that there had been a requirement to undertake restructures across the service which were linked to falling role numbers. However, it was noted that staffing structures for schools were the responsibility of schools governing bodies.
  
  
• It was explained that the Council was working with schools through safety valve to reconfigure schools, which allowed schools to provide specialist provision.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Agreed to consult on the proposed admission arrangements, including the co-ordinated schemes for admission of children to schools for the academic year 2027/28.

2.    Agreed to consult on the proposed fair access protocol which, if agreed at Cabinet in February 2026, would be come into force from 1 March 2026. 

3.    Agreed to consult with stakeholders on the proposal to reduce the PANs at selected primary and secondary schools across the borough. The list of schools where a reduction is being proposed is provided in paragraph 6.13 below.

4.    Noted that following the consultation, a report will be prepared summarising the representations received and a decision on the final admission arrangements for 2027/28 will be taken by Cabinet in February 2026.

Reasons for decision

In common with many London authorities, Haringey has been experiencing a decrease in demand for reception school places for several years.  The reasons for Haringey’s declining numbers are multifaceted, but include a combination of falling birth rates, changes to welfare benefits, the housing crisis, increases in the cost of living, the withdrawal of the right of entry and freedom of movement from EU nationals (Brexit) and as a result of families leaving London during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of these factors remain outside the Council’s control and are at no fault of the schools or their current leadership.

A report on Managing School Places and Admissions in London published by London Councils in February 2025 provides some wider context and independent analysis of the issue.

While recent focus has largely been on reducing primary school capacity, forecast demand for secondary school places is also now declining. Year 7 intake is projected to fall below the notional capacity of 2,628 places by the end of the decade. In response, some reductions in secondary capacity have already been implemented to support the sustainability of the school estate and ensure provision aligns with projected demand.

From 2026, Year 7 capacity will reduce to 2,544 places, helping to manage surplus provision. This revised figure reflects permanent reductions at Heartlands High School (from 240 to 210 in 2025), and planned reductions at Hornsey School for Girls and Park View in 2026, to 135 and 189 places respectively. Further reductions may be necessary to maintain a balanced and efficient secondary school estate.

As previously mentioned, several secondary schools referenced in this report are adjusting their Published Admission Numbers (PAN) to reflect changes in class size models. Some are reducing PANs to move from 27 to 30 pupils per class. These schools have agreed with staff unions to increase class sizes from 27 to 30 pupils, in line with Department for Education (DfE) guidance, which recognises 30 as the standard class size in secondary education. This adjustment supports schools in achieving greater operational and financial efficiency through more flexible staffing and improved resource deployment. This approach also supports schools in aligning their financial and staffing structures with current and projected pupil numbers, while continuing to maintain high standards of educational provision.

The proposals outlined in this report to reduce Published Admission Numbers (PAN), including adjustments to class size models from 27 to 30 pupils per class, are intended to support schools in planning their staffing and educational provision more efficiently by aligning capacity with actual and projected demand. This approach reflects Department for Education (DfE) guidance, which recognises 30 pupils as the standard class size in secondary education and enables schools to realise operational and financial benefits. The consultation process we are seeking to initiate will gather stakeholder views on these proposals, with a final decision to be presented to Cabinet in February 2026.

Alternative options considered

We are not proposing any changes to the oversubscription criteria for community and voluntary controlled (VC) schools for the 2027/28 academic year. While the School Admissions Code (2021) allows for various mechanisms to influence the allocation of places—such as designated catchment areas, feeder schools, or prioritisation for children eligible for the early years or pupil premium—no alternative option is being considered at this time.

Our aim is to support schools in achieving long-term sustainability and to introduce greater flexibility across the school estate in response to fluctuating population demand. Reducing PANs is one of several strategies available to schools, alongside strengthening partnerships through soft or hard federations and formal agreements such as memorandums of understanding.

Some neighbouring London boroughs have taken more radical steps to address surplus capacity, including school closures and amalgamations. Last year, the Council consulted on the future of three one-form-entry primary schools and subsequently approved their closure from 31 August 2025, with pupils transferring to local schools. These closures do not affect the consultation or determination of admission arrangements for schools governed by the local authority.