Nottingham City Council is consulting on a proposal to close Snape Wood Primary & Nursery School in Bulwell due to a decline in pupil numbers which is affecting its financial stability and sustainability.
Although no decision has yet been made, the proposal would see the school close on 31 August 2026, at the end of the 2025/26 academic year.
There has been a significant fall in primary pupil numbers nationally, which is reflected in the Bulwell area, mainly due to lower birth rates, which are continuing to decline. If schools have a high number of unfilled surplus places it means they receive reduced funding from central government which has a negative impact on pupils’ education.
Schools receive money from central government based on the number of pupils they admit which means schools with a high number of unfilled places are under difficult financial pressure and have less money for staff, resources, equipment, and activities for the children as well as for paying for bills and maintenance work.
Snape Wood Primary has been significantly affected by falling rolls and has by far the highest surplus of all the schools in the Bulwell area with 42% of places unfilled currently, which is expected to increase to 60% by 2028/29.
No final decision on school closure has yet been made. There will now be a full consultation process with all those affected by the proposal, and the findings of this will be considered as part of the final decision making.
If the decision is made to close the school, all children attending Snape Wood Primary & Nursery School would be guaranteed a place at one of the other local primary schools. The closest schools are Hempshill Hall Primary, Rufford Primary and Crabtree Farm Primary and there will be sufficient capacity across these three local schools to accommodate pupils who currently attend Snape Wood Primary & Nursery School. Affected pupils, parents and carers would be supported to apply for a place at their local school of choice and the normal admissions criteria would apply for available spaces.
Cllr Cheryl Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education said: “Unfortunately, there are not enough children in the local area seeking places in this school and this is expected to remain a problem in the coming years. The falling numbers are also impacting some of the surrounding schools, although to a lesser extent.
“We know that our schools have close ties to the local area and communities, sometimes over many generations. This makes this proposal very difficult, and not something we would choose if we felt there was a better option. This proposal is made with the interests of the children in mind, with the aim of creating stronger and more sustainable school provision. We need to collectively ensure all of our schools are fit for the future, and to protect the high-quality education they deliver to their communities.”
School leaders and the Council have been taking collaborative action to manage the situation, including implementing mixed age group classes and undertaking staffing restructures at some of the local schools. But this hasn’t solved the problem as pupil numbers and therefore funding continues to fall.
Further information (including frequently asked questions and answers) will also be available via the following link later this week: www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/engage-nottingham-hub/open-consultations/snape-wood-primary/