Former headteacher blames Brexit and Covid for school closure

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

A London headteacher has blamed Brexit after her primary school was forced to close because it lost half of its pupils.

Classrooms at Sinclair House School in Fulham were left half-empty as many international families moved away from London due to the financial pressures of Brexit, according to former headteacher Carlotta O’Sullivan.

The teacher claimed the number of students at the school dropped from 130 to 55 due to a combination of Brexit and Covid.

Ms O’Sullivan, who was headteacher at the school for 16 years, said: “We were always a small school.

“We were hit badly by Brexit and then by Covid with many people moving out of London.

“Covid just finished us off. I made sure all the children had school places.”

The school was forced to shut down in December and the remaining pupils at the school were all found places at nearby schools. Some of the school’s remaining resources have been donated elsewhere.

Sinclair House School was first opened in 1989 and it had not been inspected by Ofsted since 2011.

At the time the school was rated good and there were French pupils studying at the school following their own curriculum.

The report explained that students got on very well and bilingual students often helped translate for new students who did not speak English.

Pupils enjoyed subjects such as drama and karate, according to the Ofsted report.

The school’s nursery is still open and takes care of students aged eight months to four years old.

Since closing, the school has donated 2,000 books as well as sofas and chairs to nearby Melcombe Primary School on Fulham Palace Road.

The state primary school has now been able to build an entirely new library room alongside donations from the community and Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.

Ms O’Sullivan added: “I’m just really pleased Melcombe School have been able to take all of these books.