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Hackney Council is considering consulting on closures or mergers that would impact up to six primary schools in the borough. This is because the significant fall in pupil numbers has caused the financial position of some of the borough’s schools to worsen to the point that it is no longer possible for the Council to maintain them. As has been widely reported, in recent years the majority of London boroughs, including Hackney, have been experiencing a significant fall in pupil numbers. The reasons behind this are thought to include lower birth rates, the cap on housing benefits, and families leaving London (as a result of the housing crisis, the cost of living, Brexit, and the pandemic). In May 2024 there were 577 unfilled reception places in Hackney (21%), and 4,808 unfilled places across all year groups (23%).The permanent closure of four primary schools in Hackney on 31 August 2024, together with reductions to the planned admission numbers to other schools across the borough, are expected to reduce the percentage of empty school places to 18% by 2025/2026. However, the most recent data shows that many Hackney schools are still far from seeing healthy, sustainable pupil numbers. Projections from the Greater London Authority show that without continued intervention this surplus would rise again to 22% by 2027 and continue at this high level into the early 2030s. Schools receive money from central government based on the number of pupils. This means that schools with a high number of unfilled places have less money for staff, resources, equipment, extracurricular activities, to pay bills and to carry out maintenance work. Hackney’s primary schools currently receive over £28.5m less funding compared to what they would be entitled to if their classrooms were full. School leaders, the Council and its partners have been doing everything they can to manage the situation, including reducing the admission number to a half form of entry, combining age groups, undertaking staff restructures and trying to supplement the schools’ budgets. But this hasn’t solved the problem as rolls and funding continue to fall.64% of maintained, mainstream, primary schools, or the federations they form part of, ended the 2023/24 financial year having overspent. The combined overspend totals more than £4.3m. In the last two years, the combined reserve funds held across all maintained, mainstream primary schools, or the federations they form part of decreased by 64% (from £9.1m in April 2022 to £3.2m in April 2024).While our schools are recognised for their high performance and excellent results, they face significant challenges due to the reduced government funding caused by the falling rolls. Many schools have already told us that this is affecting their ability to fully support their pupils, especially those with the greatest needs.We know that our schools have very close ties to the local area and communities, sometimes over many generations. This makes these proposals very difficult, and not something we would choose if we felt there was a better option. Like many other local authorities, Hackney Council is facing enormous financial challenges, and needs to make substantial savings to be able to continue to protect the borough’s most vulnerable residents. The Council cannot afford to financially support schools that are not sustainable, and must continue to make difficult decisions to make sure our schools are fit for the future, and to protect the high quality education that Hackney is known for.  The proposals to be considered are:The closure of St Mary’s Church of England Primary School;The closure of St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School;Two options of organisational changes for Sir Thomas Abney Primary School:A merger with nearby Holmleigh Primary School. In this case Sir Thomas Abney Primary School would close,  and its pupils would be offered a place at Holmleigh Primary School. Holmleigh would expand from one to two classes per year group and would relocate to the current site of Sir Thomas Abney School, as this site can fit all the children from both schoolsorClosure of Sir Thomas Abney Primary School.Two options of organisational changes for Oldhill Primary School:A merger with nearby Harrington Hill Primary School. In this case Oldhill Primary School would close, and its pupils would be offered a place at Harrington Hill Primary School. Harrington Hill would expand from one to two classes per year group and would operate on the current site of Harrington Hill Primary Schoolor Closure of Oldhill Primary School.There is a children’s centre on the same site as Oldhill Primary School. Should Oldhill School close, the children's centre would continue to operate on the same site, under the management of Harrington Hill, another school or the Council.If agreed, the proposed changes will take effect on 31 August 2025.What is a merger?A merger (also known as ‘amalgamation’) brings together two or more schools to form one school - on one site and under a single leadership. Merging schools that have seen a large fall in pupil numbers can bring significant benefits, including:Establishing a stronger, more durable single school, that is better equipped to respond to the needs of children and staff and to continue to improveMore specialist expertise from a wider teaching teamStronger financesMore resources to provide extended services to local families, such as breakfast and afterschool clubsWhat will happen nextThe Council’s Cabinet will meet on 30 September to decide whether to consult on these proposals. If the decision is to proceed, we will launch a consultation by mid-October to gather views on the proposals. No final decision will be made until April 2025. We will work together with school leaders, and the Dioceses in the case of faith schools, to support children, families, staff and communities through the next steps. We will do all we can to protect the education and wellbeing of all those affected.Proposed timelineDate Event 30 Sept 2024The Council’s Cabinet decides on whether to consult on proposed changes to some schools in Hackney. Oct-Nov 2024Consultation (subject to Cabinet decision) takes place with families, staff and governors, and others affected by the proposals.Jan 2025Results of the consultation are analysed and specific recommendations are made to Cabinet, who decides on next steps. If the decision is to proceed, the Council publishes specific proposals. Feb-Mar 2025Specific proposals are published. A 28-day statutory representation period begins on the date of publication, during which any person can object to or make comments on proposals. April 2025The Cabinet considers all the views received during the statutory representation period and makes the final decision to proceed or not.Starting May 2025 If the decision is to proceed, arrangements are made to implement the Cabinet’s decision.31 August 2025If the decision is to proceed, the proposed changes take effect.More details about the proposals can be found in the Cabinet report, published on 20 September on the Hackney Council website.

Hackney residents of all ages are invited to the Hoxton Fun Palace, an exciting new cultural event that’s all about taking part, being creative and celebrating our communities.Free, family-friendly activities and events will pop up at multiple venues and spaces across Hoxton on Saturday 5th October, creating a trail of fun, discovery and cups of tea.The Hoxton Fun Palace is part of a nation-wide Fun Palace programme, an annual Weekend of Celebration that encompasses arts, science, craft, tech, digital, heritage and sports events and activities – run by and for local communities.Highlights of the Hoxton Fun Palace include:Craft stalls and a tea party at Hoxton Street Market Printmaking, Ninja and Origami workshops, singing and arts at Hoxton HallA family-friendly day of creativity and chat at Shoreditch Town HallFilm screenings by Cardboard CitizensParticipatory storytelling, over cups of tea, using writing, drawing, talking and signing, using improvisation and embedded creative access led by Graeae TheatreA relaxed, family workshop exploring the making and preservation of personal photographic archives at Autograph GalleryA series of workshops and screenings for all ages at art’otelA fantastical creature-making workshop for young people at Troy Town PotteryThe event is wheelchair accessible and the event will be BSL Interpreted. Sight guides will be available on-site to welcome people.Full details of the Hoxton Fun Palace programme can also be found on www.lovehackney.uk/hoxtonfunpalace and individual listings for each venue can be found separately on www.funpalaces.co.uk Notes for EditorsHoxton Fun Palace and the new Hoxton Footways map are the products of a collaboration between members of the Hoxton Creative Health Network, an informal group of over 25 Hoxton and Shoreditch-based cultural, community and health organisations, working together to develop new cultural referral pathways in Hoxton.  The Hoxton Creative Health Network is coordinated by Hackney Council and Hoxton Hall and is financially supported by Hackney Council.

Hackney Museum is celebrating the story of carnival in Hackney with its latest exhibition Making Carnival: 50 Years of Mas, Music and Movement in Hackney.The free exhibition, opening on Tuesday 10 September, uncovers the history of carnival in Hackney across a 50 year period. It looks at the emergence of the Caribbean carnival, the influence of the Windrush generations and the introduction of their carnival traditions.Visitors will be able to explore the stories of carnival groups in Hackney through Mas (short for masquerade) costumes, masks, films, photographs, a Mas camp recreation, plus music and dance interactives.Making Carnival: 50 Years of Mas, Music and Movement in Hackney runs until 31 December. The exhibition supports a schools programme hosted by carnival group Tropical Isles to help share the story of Hackney Carnival with over 2800 local children. Across September to November, Tropical Isles will deliver over 95 interactive sessions at Hackney Museum for local primary school classes.Hackney Carnival 2024 takes place on Sunday 22 September. Get all the information you need on Love Hackney.Carnival storiesThe Last Lap For many years, Hackney was known as ‘The Last Lap’ of Notting Hill Carnival.By 1975, the famous West London event had grown into a huge annual celebration attracting 200,000 people from across the country. Some Hackney residents established local carnival groups to take part in the procession every year.The carnival groups found workshops around the borough or in their own homes. Working in small spaces, they made inventive and professional quality costumes, musical equipment and instruments.Arriving back in Hackney, some bands would continue to parade down Stoke Newington High Street. They called this unofficial parade the ‘Last Lap’, and it marked the end of the summer carnival season.In this rare photograph of a Last Lap taking place (pictured above), Yvonne Straughn and her son Leon masquerade with local carnival group Perpetual Beauty. Leon's wheelchair has been transformed into a Magic Carpet.Mas costumes'The Sky at Night' costume (pictured above) is an unusual example of a Mas costume that is almost 35 years old. Mas designer Lincoln Rahamut created the costume for his 7 year old daughter  Sarah-Jane to wear to Notting Hill in 1990. Mas costumes are not made to last. Carnival costume designers are innovative, inventive and resourceful, making imaginative creations out of the materials they have available to them. The materials of most costumes are recycled to make new costumes for the following year.Consisting of a metal structure balanced around a backpack, this costume was designed to allow her to move and dance. Perpetual Beauty’s theme for the year was ‘From the Heavens Came’.Born in Trinidad and moving to London in 1970, Lincoln founded the Perpetual Beauty Carnival Club in 1979, one of the first carnival groups to introduce Mas to Hackney. He made this costume at the Mas Band’s workshop in the old fire station on Leswin Road, Stoke Newington.Carnival masksThe masks (pictured above) were donated by Jun Mo Generation, a Far East Asian carnival arts organisation established in Hackney in the 1980's and officially formed in 1991.The group has participated in the Notting Hill Carnival since 1990 and Hackney parades and festivals since 1980's. On the road, they showcase East Asian culture combined with African and Caribbean arts through vibrant costumes and performances. On the road, they dance to Soca.The organisation collaborates with many communities, engaging families and members at the Borough's local events and celebrating East Asian heritage.Soca Saga Boys Soca Saga Boys started as a sound system in the 1990s that performed at Hackney carnivals. Since 2005, the group has introduced Mas to their processions.Anthony ‘Tony’ Cumberbatch, whose parents were from Trinidad, founded Soca Saga Boys from his record shop, Tan Tan Records on Northwold Road in Stoke Newington. From 1997, Tony organised the sound systems and organised the trucks that provided Mare de Gras (an early version of Hackney Carnival), with music on the road. Still playing in Hackney today, the group has a loyal following who join events as a T-shirt section, wearing shirts such as the one featured. After Tony’s passing in 2005, the group honours him each year at Hackney and Notting Hill Carnivals.In 2019 members of Soca Saga Boys and fellow Hackney community creatives, artists and activists formed Windrush19 with the aim of preserving and representing traditional Caribbean Mas characters. In 2024, the group masqueraded as Shortknee, a traditional character originating from Grenada. Hackney Museum is located at 1 Reading Lane, E8 1GQ .

To mark International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) our staff visited Ridley Road market on 29 and 30 of August to distribute needle and syringe provision, drug and alcohol support and naloxone training. Inspired by the theme of IOAD 2024, “Together We Can” residents were invited to write messages on a “Wall of Reflection” to discuss how overdose has impacted them and how we can come together to end it. The Hackney Community Wellbeing Team along with partners from the homelessness prevention team, the Hackney Money Hub, Support When It Matters (SWIM) team, and Turning Point (the City & Hackney Recovery Service) helped to engage the community and supported in distributing naloxone, providing information on harm reduction, and linking people to support services, including drug and alcohol support.For a schedule of the Community Wellbeing Van, please visit: https://hackney.gov.uk/wellbeing-space