Key Points
- Children, Young People and Education Committee of Wirral Council has approved the proposal to initiate public consultations regarding the potential closure of Millfields Church of England Primary School at Eastham.
- The school currently has 19 students even though it has a capacity for over 200 students.
- According to a council report, there will be a financial deficit of £2,449,537 in 2030/31 and the school’s finances are not viable.
- Over half of the students at the school are in Year 6 and will leave for secondary schools next year; only three students enrolled in the school in September 2026.
- In June, Ofsted visited the school and put it under special measures saying that urgent improvements were necessary.
- The council, the school and Diocese of Chester say there has been no decision about closure yet and that Ofsted report and the closure report are two different things.
- However, in case a closure decision is finally taken, then this closure can happen after the current academic year is over, and there are enough spaces in nearby schools for those children.
- Any decision about closure will come back to the committee following the public consultations.
Wirral Council (Liverpool standard) October 16, 2026 – A Wirral primary school with only 19 pupils has moved a step closer to possible closure after councillors approved the start of a formal public consultation.
As reported by Birkenhead News, Wirral Council’s Children, Young People and Education Committee approved plans to consult on closing Millfields Church of England Primary School. A council report described consultation on closure as “the most responsible, sustainable, and deliverable course of action.”
The proposal does not mean the school will definitely shut. The council, the school and the Diocese of Chester said in a joint statement that “no decision has been made as to the school’s future,” but that councillors were being asked to consider beginning a formal consultation.
What Did the Council Report Say?
The report set out serious concerns about the school’s size and finances. Millfields has capacity for more than 200 pupils but currently has 19 children on roll.
According to the report, “Based on current projections, the school’s financial position is not sustainable within any reasonable planning horizon, with a forecast deficit projected of £2,449,537 by 2030/31.”
It also warned that, if the school closed, the deficit at the point of closure would become the council’s responsibility, alongside potential redundancy and pension strain costs.
How Many Pupils Are Affected?
The school’s current roll is unusually small. Birkenhead News reported that more than half of the 19 pupils are in Year 6, meaning they are due to move to secondary school next summer.
Only three children joined Millfields in September 2026.
Councillors were told that, if the school did close, there would be enough places at nearby schools for Millfields pupils to be relocated. Any closure would not take place until the end of the academic year.
What Did Ofsted Find?
Ofsted inspected Millfields in June. The inspection report said the school needed to make “urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.”
As reported by Birkenhead News, Ofsted placed the school in special measures and criticised the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning. The inspection report said:
“The curriculum that is in place is not taught well. Pupils have large gaps in their knowledge. Teachers do not check or address these gaps. This means that pupils routinely struggle to acquire new learning.”
What Did the Council, School and Diocese Say?
Ahead of the committee meeting, Wirral Council, Millfields CE Primary School and the Diocese of Chester issued a joint statement acknowledging the difficulty of the situation for pupils, families and staff.
The statement said:
“We recognise that the coincidence of the publication of the Ofsted outcome with the report going to council committee next week will be difficult for pupils, families and staff. We want to thank pupils, parents and carers, staff and school leaders for the commitment, care and resilience they continue to show.”
It added:
“The two reports need to be seen as separate. The committee report is not a result of the Ofsted outcome; it follows a wider review of the school’s educational, financial and organisational sustainability.”
The organisations said pupils would continue attending school as normal and that the education and wellbeing of pupils remained their shared priority.
“If consultation is approved, everyone affected will have the opportunity to understand the evidence, ask questions and make their views known before any further decision is taken,”
the statement said.
What Happens Next?
The consultation process will now begin. Parents, staff, governors, the Diocese of Chester and the wider community will be invited to give their views before any final decision is made.
Any closure would need to follow a formal statutory process. After the consultation, the final decision on whether Millfields should close would return to Wirral Council’s Children, Young People and Education Committee.
Background of the Development
Millfields Church of England Primary School is a controlled primary school in Eastham, Wirral. It has faced a combination of falling pupil numbers, financial pressure and an adverse Ofsted inspection.
The closure proposal followed a wider council review of the school’s educational, financial and organisational sustainability. Wirral Council, the school and the Diocese of Chester have stressed that the Ofsted report and the closure report are separate matters.
Prediction: How Could This Affect Eastham Families?
For Millfields pupils and their families, the immediate effect is uncertainty, although children will continue attending the school as normal during the consultation period. If closure is eventually approved, families are likely to need to move children to alternative local schools, with the council reporting that nearby schools have sufficient capacity.
Parents and carers will have an opportunity to respond during the consultation, ask questions and present their views before councillors make a final decision. Staff, governors and the wider Eastham community will also be able to take part.
