State schools across Hammersmith and Fulham have been renting out their facilities to raise additional funds, London Councils reports.
The number of pupils in south west London’s state schools has fallen dramatically over the past decade, with schools affected being put under increased financial pressure due to the government’s per-pupil funding model.
Hammersmith and Fulham has been one of the worst affected boroughs in this regard, facing a reduction of 13.7% in state-funded primary school pupil numbers since 2020, according to data from the Department of Education (DfE).
Schools in the borough have been searching for unconventional ways to make up for the lost revenue, and in what has been described as an ‘Airbnb-style strategy’, many have decided to let out their facilities.
Hammersmith’s West London Free School is a leading example of this, with facilities like the dining hall, playground, and individual classrooms available for hire online.
The school’s website states: “The outstanding school facilities are used extensively by the school and local community”.
The strategy has had considerable financial success across the borough, with one school earning £100k per annum over a 10 year period in this manner.
Sam Freedman, former senior advisor to the DfE and executive director at Teach First, said: “School funding has been fairly static nationally now for 16 years, while costs have increased, so this is an alternative to cutting staff or facilities for students.
“This is particularly true for schools with falling rolls, of which there are many in London, because of declining birth rates and families moving out of the capital after the pandemic.”
According to the London Councils’ press release, 90 schools have closed or merged over the past five years, and pupil numbers are forecast to continue declining.
Cllr Una O’Halloran, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children and Education, said: “We’re calling on government to give boroughs greater flexibility, from admissions for displaced pupils to decisions on former school buildings, so we can manage this challenge in a way that puts children and families first.”
Featured image credit: Ivan Aleksic via Unsplash
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