The 38 state primary schools that have closed because there aren't enough children

Nearly 40 state primary schools across England have closed in the last two years because there are not enough children to attend them.

The wave of closures has left parents fighting for places at other local schools, while some children have been forced to travel longer distances.

Schools are funded by councils on a per-pupil basis, meaning that a shortfall of students due to the falling birthrate equates to less money for essential resources and staffing costs.

As a result, 38 primary schools across England have shut their doors since 2024, according to exclusive data from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).

Another issue leading to school closures is families moving out of expensive cities to avoid surging house prices . It means some inner-city schools, ofte