Plans to axe Sulivan Primary School have been put on hold after the town hall’s incoming administration launched a review into the decision.
It wants to assess whether new policies to increase the number of affordable rented homes in the borough will see a rise in demand for primary school places in Fulham - creating a need for Sulivan to remain open.
A decision to close the school in Peterborough Road and merge it with nearby New King’s School in New King’s Road was taken in January. The idea was to reduce the number of surplus places across the two schools by 15 per year group but policy changes may mean those places are now needed. It was previously planned that a new free school, called Fulham Boys School, would be set up on Sulivan Primary's site.
Councillor Stephen Cowan, who will become the leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council on June 16, delivered the news to staff at Sulivan School this morning (Monday).
Rosie Wait, the school's chair of governors, said: “We welcome this announcement, it’s what thousands of people wanted.
“The school has been focusing on education and making sure the children come first.”
The school would have been forced to close on July 11 but the reprieve now means it will be able to announce its results from last year while it is still open.
Ms Wait said they are the best set of results the school has seen in the past 10 years. She added: “It’s fabulous we can make the announcement with the hope we will still be operating as Sulivan.”
The change in housing policy, signalled in the new administration’s manifesto, places a greater emphasis on the need for new affordable homes to rent, which could have a particular impact on the South Fulham Riverside development where, of the 1,000 extra homes being built, 360 do not yet have final planning permission. If a substantial portion of the 360 are set aside for affordable homes for rent, that could increase demand for primary places in the area.
Council officers will be reassessing the likely future demand for school places, and a decision paper on whether to publish proposals for the two schools to stay open is likely to be presented to the next cabinet meeting on June 23.
If proposals are published, all affected parties and the wider community will have the opportunity to make comments in response.
Mr Cowan said: “We have a duty to ensure that the local community has sufficient, good quality places available.”
