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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Megan Howe

London schools crisis: Why eight boroughs are defying the capital's 'secondary wave' of falling pupil numbers

London is experiencing a “secondary wave” of falling primary school numbers, driven by a housing crisis and a falling birth rate — and the trend appears set to continue.

New council forecasts suggest reception pupil demand across the capital will fall by around 2.5% between 2025 and 2026 and 2029 and 2030, equivalent to approximately 2,200 to 2,300 fewer children starting school.

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