School to close after nuns leave UK to work in Africa

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

A primary school will close after the nuns who ran it decided to ditch the UK for East Africa.

St Francesca Cabrini Roman Catholic Primary School in Southwark will shut its doors to pupils at the end of the summer term next year.

The Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which set up the school in 1902, is withdrawing from the UK to focus on its work in East African countries like Uganda and Ethiopia.

The school, in Forest Hill Road, Honor Oak Park, has space for 420 pupils, but just 86 pupils attended the school as of September 2022.

Brexit and welfare reforms were blamed for the plummeting numbers enrolled at the school, according to a Southwark council cabinet report.

As recently as 2016, the school had 350 students on its books, according to the report dated December 6.

It reads: “For a variety of reasons, including Brexit, welfare reforms, and redevelopment, school rolls have fallen sharply in the locality over the last five years, and vacancies in the planning area stand at around 1,500 (29 per cent) – the equivalent of three and a half, two-form entry primary schools.

“The fall in rolls and other factors at the school have led to a steep drop in income, as the school’s income is determined by the number of children enrolled. For 2022-23, there is a shortfall in public funding of around £190,000 rising to £600,000 in 2023- 24.”

The Missionary Sisters has agreed to cover the costs of the school until September 2023.

The Roman Catholic missionary owns the land and buildings where St Francesca Cabrini is located.

Cllr Jasmine Ali, Labour’s cabinet member for education, said it was with a “heavy heart” that she recommended the closure of the school at a council meeting on December 6.

Pictured top: St Francesca Cabrini Roman Catholic Primary School (Picture: Google Street View)