St Mary's CE Primary in Hornsey wants to cut its Reception intake from 60 to 30 from September 2028. Haringey's Cabinet decides tonight whether to put it out to consultation.
St Mary’s CE Primary School in Hornsey wants to halve the number of children it takes into Reception each year, from 60 to 30. The change would apply from September 2028.
The school’s governing body proposed it because fewer families are applying. Haringey’s Cabinet is asked tonight, Tuesday 10 November, to put the plan out to public consultation on the school’s behalf (Cabinet report, 10 November 2026).
It is the only change to a school’s intake in Haringey’s admission arrangements for 2028. Every other community and voluntary controlled primary keeps its current number.
Why the school wants fewer places
The report says applications to St Mary’s for September 2026 were “significantly lower than anticipated”. The school and the council asked the Office of the Schools Adjudicator for a temporary cut to 30 places for this September, and the adjudicator agreed.
The governing body now wants to make that permanent. The report gives three reasons:
- demand for Reception places in the school’s area is “significantly below” what is needed for two classes a year
- the council’s forecasts show enough primary places in the area without St Mary’s keeping 60, with no extra Reception places needed between 2025 and 2030
- infant classes are capped at 30 children per teacher by law, so a year group of 31 or 32 forces the school to pay for a second teacher
St Mary’s is a voluntary aided Church of England school in the Diocese of London. The government’s schools register gives its address as Rectory Gardens, N8, and records 306 pupils against a capacity of 450 (Get Information About Schools).
Because it is a church school, St Mary’s is its own admission authority. The governors have asked the council to run the consultation, and Cabinet takes the final decision. The governors say they will keep demand under review and can add places temporarily if it rises.
Fewer children across the borough
St Mary’s is part of a borough-wide fall. The report says Haringey’s Reception roll dropped from 3,259 in January 2013 to 2,606 in January 2026. That is 80% of the 2013 figure.
First-choice applications fell again for September 2026, to 2,541 from 2,652 the year before. In the council’s Planning Area 2, which includes St Mary’s, they fell from 624 to 609.
The borough has 214 spare Reception places, about seven classes’ worth, or 7.6% of the total. The council aims for 5 to 10% spare. Its forecasts say demand will not go above 2,500 a year between 2027/28 and 2032/33, so the gap is expected to grow.
The report notes that classes need about 24 or more children for a school to balance its budget. It says the buildings stay available, so an intake can be raised again straight away if demand returns.
Secondary schools are next
The fall has now reached secondary schools. The report says 159 Year 7 places were vacant for September 2026, and 146 places are unfilled in existing Year 7 groups.
Several secondaries have already cut their intakes:
| School | Change | From |
|---|---|---|
| Heartlands High School | 240 to 210 | September 2025 |
| Hornsey School for Girls | 162 to 135 | September 2026 |
| Park View School | 189 to 180 | September 2027 |
| Highgate Wood School | 243 to 240 | September 2027 |
| Gladesmore Community School | 243 to 240 | September 2027 |
The report says the Highgate Wood, Park View and Gladesmore changes move those schools from classes of about 27 to classes of up to 30.
What happens next
- Tonight: Cabinet is asked to approve the consultation. The meeting starts at 6.30pm (meeting page).
- November 2026 to January 2027: public consultation. The law requires at least six weeks, ending by 31 January.
- February 2027: Cabinet considers the responses and decides the 2028 arrangements.
What it means for you
- Nothing changes for children already at St Mary’s. The proposal is about how many start in Reception from September 2028, which means children born between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2024.
- For families applying this year, the school already has 30 places. The temporary cut took effect for September 2026 entry.
- Fewer places can mean a harder offer. If St Mary’s is your first choice, a smaller intake could matter in a year when more families apply. The council’s view is that there are enough places nearby for everyone.
- You can respond. Parents of children aged two to 18 and anyone else with an interest can comment once the consultation opens. We will add the link when the council publishes it.
Reception applications for September 2027 entry close on 15 January 2027, the national deadline. Our Haringey school term dates page has the year ahead.
Sources
- Council’s School Admission Arrangements for the academic year 2028/29: consultation, Haringey Cabinet, 10 November 2026: the St Mary’s proposal and reasons, the adjudicator’s temporary cut, the borough Reception rolls, first preferences, spare places, forecasts, secondary vacancies and intake reductions, and the timetable.
- Appendix 2, Reception and Junior Transfer 2028: the proposed admission numbers for every Haringey community, voluntary controlled and voluntary aided primary.
- St Mary’s CofE Primary School, Get Information About Schools, Department for Education: religious character, diocese, pupil numbers and capacity.
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