Some Croydon primary schools will be cutting class sizes in half as the demand for places has reduced.

A Croydon Council report on surplus places at the borough’s school blamed falling birth rates for the trend.

There are three primary schools planning on cutting the number of reception class places on offer in September 2024.

All Saints Primary School in Upper Norwood is consulting on reducing class sizes from 60 to 30.

 While The Minster Junior School and Oasis Shirley Park are set to go from 120 to 90 places in September 2024.

A council report said: “Due mainly to a drop-in birth rate, several primary schools across the borough are experiencing falling rolls.

“The council is working collaboratively with these schools to discuss and agree options for managing the high level of surplus places, including reduction of published admission number.”

At a council meeting on Wednesday night (January 26), Councillor Maria Gatland, cabinet member for children and young people, said a School

Organisation Advisory Board is being set up to address the issue.

She said: “I am very pleased to say that this is now being looked at by the director of education and her team on how we can deal with this problem.

"We always have to remember that we have to keep the needs of our young people and children first and foremost when we are looking at this.

“A board will be set up to look at this, but initially this has got to work between the council and the schools. I am very pleased to say there is a very constructive partnership at the moment.”

The report said there can be shortages of places at popular schools in the borough while others have a surplus of places.

It adds that over the next three years there will be some parts of the borough where the number of kids needing school places will increase as more people move to new housing developments in the borough.