The Rt Hon Sir Oliver Dowden KCB CBE MP has urged Hertfordshire County Council to reconsider its proposal to close St. Nicholas Church of England Primary School in Elstree, a move which would leave the village without a primary school for the first time in centuries.
The Council has launched a consultation process citing low pupil numbers and budget pressures. However, Mr. Dowden has expressed deep concern about the impact on families, the community, and the future of the Church of England’s presence in Elstree.
Mr. Dowden said: “St. Nicholas is not just a school, it is the beating heart of Elstree’s community. It has a proud reputation for nurturing children, especially those with special educational needs, and for offering a Christian ethos that many families actively choose.
Closing this school would force children to travel out of the village, cut off parental choice, and weaken the church’s link with young people at a time when the national Church is striving to grow its engagement with the next generation.”
St. Nicholas has above-average numbers of children with special educational needs (SEN) with many parents choosing the school precisely because of its inclusive ethos and dedicated staff
With no other school in Elstree, closure would mean long journeys by car, bus, or council-funded transport to Borehamwood. Local faith schools are either oversubscribed or of a different denomination, while the nearest Church of England primary is almost six miles away.
Mr. Dowden added: “I will be engaging directly with Hertfordshire County Council, the Department for Education to ensure that every alternative is properly explored.
Once a school is lost, it is lost forever, and we must do everything possible to secure a future for St. Nicholas.”
Cllr Morris Bright MBE, Elstree Borough Councillor said: “St Nicholas Primary School in Elstree has been put under threat of closure by the new Liberal Democrat minority-controlled Hertfordshire County Council.
The much-cherished school must stay open not just to stop irreversible damage being done to the heart of another village but also to ensure the pupils who attend, a large number of whom receive Special Education Needs assistance, continue to be supported. We must all work together to do all we can to keep St Nicholas open and to protect village life for the future.”
Cllr Harvey Cohen, Elstree Ward, said: “I am deeply concerned by Hertfordshire County Council’s proposal to close St Nicholas School in Elstree. I will stand alongside our MP, Sir Oliver Dowden, the school’s governors, parents, and local residents to fight this closure.
At a time when the Labour-run Hertsmere Borough Council is proposing significant new housing across our area, it is unthinkable that we would lose such an important local school. Elstree deserves investment in education, not cuts that threaten the heart of our community.”
The consultation is currently open, and Mr. Dowden is encouraging residents, parents, and church members to make their voices heard before any final decision is taken.
