Councillors to discuss pressures on Norfolk schools due to drop in pupil numbers

Councillors are set to discuss how to tackle the “emerging pressure” on Norfolk’s schools caused by a drop in pupil numbers.

The number of children in the education system in the county is expected to fall from a peak of nearly 10,000 in the current Year 9, to fewer than 7,000 in the 2027 reception intake.

In a report on the education policy and strategic programme, Norfolk County Council members will hear how the authority is looking to “refresh its policy framework” in light of changes to legislation and the changing demographics.

Cllr Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for children’s services at the council, said: “We want every child in Norfolk to have a good education but the drop in pupil numbers risks destabilising some schools and could affect the quality of learning.

“Small schools continue to be an essential part of the education landscape in a rural county like Norfolk and in a county such as ours we can’t have one a single solution to this challenge.

“We need to work together with schools and academies to plan for the future so that we have school places in the right areas, delivering the very best education for our children.

“We’ve already started talking to local school and academy leaders about how we can work together to find the solutions that best work for each community. This won’t be easy but the focus will always be on providing the best education for our children.”

The issues have been apparent in West Norfolk, with Brancaster Church of England Primary Academy closing earlier this year due to a lack of pupil numbers.

Over the summer, statistics were released about the number of village schools that received low application levels for a September start. One of these was Flitcham Primary Academy, which received no first-choice applications this year.

Funding for schools is directly linked to pupil numbers, so the drop in rolls will impact on budgets and is already contributing to changing staff structures in some areas.

The council says there is also evidence that mixing year groups in classes leads to poorer outcomes for children.

These factors will all be considered in upcoming discussions. A report to the council suggests that schools with one class are unlikely to be sustainable, but two-class schools could continue to be possible with structural changes.

Some of the conversations will look at formal structures such as federations and trusts, which can support resilience. Options include joining trusts or federations, increasing income, amalgamating and reviewing catchment areas.

The council will provide data and evidence to help support leaders in finding solutions. This work has started in some areas.

Alongside the work on school sustainability, the report details the council’s suggested role as a “champion for all children, convener of the system, supporter of collaboration, provider of infrastructure and intelligence leader”.

The authority’s cabinet is being asked to endorse that role, as well as consider the proposal to use data and intelligence to work with schools to manage changes in pupil numbers.

The cabinet will meet next Monday (October 13) at 10am at County Hall.