Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) is proposing to close St Nicholas Primary School as reportedly only 57 pupils are hoping to enrol. The school has a capacity of 210.
Speaking to RADLETTnews, headteacher Mrs Johnson-Grant said: “It would be devastating for St Nicholas Primary School, which has been part of the Elstree community since 1814, to close as we have strong links to St Nicholas Church.
“We are the only Church of England school in the area, which would limit parental choice. We are a nurturing school with small classes with dedicated and highly trained staff.”
A meeting was held on Thursday, November 6, with the head, staff, governors and HCC to discuss the future of the school, and a consultation has now been agreed.
A spokesperson from HCC told RADLETTnews: “Due to the low pupil numbers, the financial constraints this puts on the school, and the challenge of maintaining a good quality of education for pupils, the responsible thing to do is to consider the future of the school and its pupils.
“We have held discussions with the leadership of the school and have met with the parents and carers and teaching staff to outline the challenges. We are now seeking approval from Cabinet in November to proceed to public consultation on a proposal to close the school from August 2026.
“We understand that this will be unwelcome news for many, and we are sorry for the upset that we know this news will cause. However, when a school is faced with such significant challenges, we need to consider the most responsible course of action.
“If Cabinet decides to proceed with the public consultation, this will run for four weeks from mid-November with a wide range of interested parties being consulted, including the local community.”
To view the petition, visit www.shorturl.at/lzOFS
Photo credit: Cllr Dan Ozarow
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