Kew Riverside Primary School is at risk of closing next summer, with Richmond Council blaming a long-term slide in pupil numbers, according to the BBC.

Key points

  • Proposed closure — Council is consulting on shutting Kew Riverside Primary next year.
  • Falling numbers — The school has 87 pupils in a 210-place building, with further declines expected.
  • Money concerns — Contractors warn of a projected deficit over £400,000 by 2028/29.
  • Parent backlash — Families and inspectors have praised the school's nurturing ethos.

Achieving for Children (AfC), Richmond's children's services contractor, said the school would have a shortfall of more than £400,000 by 2028/29 even after staffing cuts. The council pointed to falling birth rates and families leaving London as the main reason, since funding follows pupil numbers.

Parents questioned the proposal at a council meeting on Tuesday night (October 6). In a written question, parent Adam Smith said families had returned from the summer break only to find their children unsettled by the uncertainty. He said the school was close-knit with strong community backing, good support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and a positive Ofsted report in July. Smith urged the council to give the school time to explore alternatives.

Lib Dem councillor Julia Cambridge, who chairs the education committee, said no final decision had been made and that all feedback from the consultation, which closes on October 16, would be considered. She said the school could not make further savings without affecting what it teaches, and that its remaining reserves would run out by the end of the academic year. She stressed the proposal was not a comment on the quality of education, leadership or teaching, but was driven by demographic changes across the borough and London.

Ofsted praised Kew Riverside in September, saying pupils achieve well, the curriculum is ambitious and those with SEND are supported effectively. The committee heard the school currently supports 17 pupils with SEND and six with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). If the closure goes ahead, every pupil would be guaranteed a place at Darell Primary School in Kew, and families could apply to other schools with spaces. The council will meet staff and families in November. A separate proposal would merge Hampton Wick Infant and Nursery School with St John the Baptist Church of England Junior School.

Editor's comment

What it means in practice

For parents at Kew Riverside, the immediate concern is what happens next September. The consultation closes on 16 October, so this is the moment to send views to the council. If the school shuts, children would be moved to Darell Primary or other nearby schools with space. That could mean new routines, longer journeys and friendship groups being split. Families with children who have SEND should ask how their support will carry over, because those plans are legally binding and must be maintained.

  • Check the consultation deadline — Make sure your response reaches the council before 16 October.
  • Ask about SEND provision — If your child has an EHCP, confirm how it would be delivered at any new school.
  • Plan for September — Look at Darell and other schools with places to see what works for your family.