Nine state schools across Brighton and Hove look likely to have to cut the number of classes that they offer – and between them shed more than a dozen jobs.
The reduction is expected to lead to a loss of 360 spaces in eight primary schools and one secondary school.
Education chiefs have warned that, without action, between a fifth and a quarter of primary school places could go unfilled by September 2023.
By then, an estimated 2,191 children are forecast to start in reception classes, with 629 empty places.
In the current school year about one in seven primary school seats – or almost 14 per cent – are empty, with 2,517 children and 393 surplus spaces.
Conservative councillor Vanessa Brown said that she was sorry to hear none of the schools were willing to give up one of its forms.
She spoke at a “virtual” meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee, saying that a “tremendous amount of thought” had gone into the proposals.
Councillor Brown said: “I was the cabinet member for children and young people years ago when we were desperately expanding and building new primary schools so it’s quite sad to see them being reduced in size now. But we do have to work with the numbers that we have.”
Veteran Labour councillor Les Hamilton said that all three political parties – the Greens, Labour and the Tories – realised that it was a problematic issue that needed addressing.
Councillor Hamilton, a retired teacher, said: “There’s a general awareness in the city when I speak to people in schools. The head teachers say, ‘yes, we appreciate you’ve got a problem. Something must be done about it but please don’t include our school in it.’
“That is the problem. It’s human nature. The situation is we had 15 per cent of spare places. I don’t think some schools realise reducing the PAN (published admission number) is an advantage.”
He said that a school that reduced its intake to 30 could find that it was more financially viable than one with two classes of 18 pupils.
Conservative councillor Dee Simson said that reducing the number of classes at larger schools was vital as it was important not to close the smallest schools.
She added that birth rates were likely to go up again after lockdown.
The council’s head of school organisation Richard Barker said: “This is not a reflection on any of the schools we are putting forward in these proposals.
“This more is a matter of logistics than it is about the quality of education and leadership within these schools.”
