Education officials are to consult on plans to officially reduce the number of places at four Hertfordshire primary schools, as the number of younger children in the county continues to fall.

Around 17,000 additional primary school places were created in the county in the mid to late noughties, when there was a "significant" rise in demand.

But since 2018, education officials say that numbers of young children in the county have fallen.

And now they have drawn up proposals to cut intakes at four primary schools, by a total of 105 places.

As part of the plans, the number of Reception places available at Kimpton Primary, near Hitchin, could be cut from 30 entrants to 15.

The number of places for pupils starting at St Mary's Junior, Baldock, and at Leavesden Green Primary, Watford, could be reduced from 60 to 30.

And Little Green Junior School, in Croxley Green, could take 60 new pupils in 2027 – rather than the 90 it currently has places for.

The proposals were presented to a meeting of the council's cabinet on Monday (October 13) by executive member for education, SEND and inclusion Cllr Mark Watkin.

And councillors agreed that the proposals should be subject to public consultation before being considered again by councillors next year.

At the meeting, Cllr Watkin pointed to the county's changing population profile. And he told councillors that the proposals had already been "discussed in principle" with the schools.

He said: "In the time that I have been on this council, we've been through an extraordinary expansion of, particularly, primary places. Seventeen thousand were added since 2010.

"The population profile of this county and virtually across the country has changed. There are now declining numbers of children coming to school.

"And it is beginning to hit us at the primary end first. So, none of these are dramatic, and all of these have been discussed, in principle, with the schools."

The case to reduce the size of the 'public admission number' – or PAN – at each of the four schools was presented to cabinet members in a written report.

According to the report, Kimpton Primary School has seen a drop in the number of applications over the past five years, and has not filled all its places.

It says a reduction in PAN – from 30 to 15 – would "create a better match to expected demand, protecting the financial viability of the school moving forward". And, it says, there would still be sufficient places available in the area.

St Mary's Junior School, in Baldock, currently offers 60 places to new 'year three' pupils. But under the new proposals – which are said to have the backing of the headteacher and the governing body – that would drop to 30.

According to the report, the proposals would "create a better match of places to expected demand" and they would protect the future financial viability of the school.

The number of places available for new pupils at the linked infant school – St Mary's Infant School – is already set to reduce from September 2026, according to the report.

And it says the council will also seek to reduce the PAN at the junior school at the same time, but commit to admit pupils from the linked infant school, even if it means going over its PAN.

"The junior school is proposing a PAN reduction earlier than initially planned because of low numbers currently on roll at the infant school," says the report.

"St Mary's Junior School will admit all pupils who want places from year 2 at the infant school, over PAN if necessary."

At Leavesden Green Primary, Watford, the proposals would decrease the number of Reception places available from 60 to 30, following a drop in demand for places across Watford.

But, according to the report, the school would retain the ability to increase its PAN "on a permanent or temporary basis" if required in the future.

Meanwhile, as part of the proposals, the intake at Little Green Junior School, in Croxley Green, could drop from 90 to 60.

According to the report, the proposals follow a drop in applications and allocations "over the last couple of years".

And officials suggest that – even after the reduction – all families who apply for a place at the school will be allocated one.

"The pupil forecast indicates lower demand for primary places across

Croxley Green moving forward," says the report.

"A reduction in PAN would work towards creating a better match of places to expect, and there will still be sufficient places across the area.

"The governors at the school support the reduction in the PAN.

"In recent years, all families who have applied for a place at Little Green Junior School have been able to obtain one; it is anticipated that this will remain the case after the PAN reduction."

At the meeting, councillors were told that the public consultation period is expected to run between October 27 and December 7.

The results would be reported to the education, SEND and inclusion panel on January 30 and to the cabinet on February 16.