Norfolk County Council set to discuss impact of plummeting pupil numbers on schools and education

Plummeting pupil numbers across Norfolk and the changing education landscape will be discussed by county chiefs next week.

Norfolk County Council’s cabinet will hear about the pressure on Norfolk’s schools caused by lower pupil numbers – a situation replicated across the country – and the associated reduction in budgets.

The number of children in the education system in the county is expected to fall by around 30 per cent, from a peak of nearly 10,000 in the current year 9 to fewer than 7,000 in the 2027 reception intake.

Cllr Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for children’s services, 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 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 solutions that best work for each community.”

In a report on the Education Policy and Strategic Programme, members will hear how the council is looking to refresh its policy framework, in light of changes to legislation and the changing demographics.

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

There is also evidence that mixing year groups in classes leads to poorer outcomes for children. These factors will all be considered in the discussions.

The report suggests schools with one class are unlikely to be sustainable, but two-class schools could continue to be possible with structural changes.

The council proposes to work in the 46 planning areas across Norfolk, engage with leaders in those areas to review the current landscape.

Some of the conversations will look at formal structures such as federations and trusts, that 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.

The cabinet will meet on Monday.