Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval of the new School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)    To approve the new School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028, as provided in Appendix 1 of the report.

(2)    To note the focus on planning for the sufficiency of places and the sustainability of schools, based on varying demand patterns impacting on school planning areas in Brent.

(3)    To note there continues to be increasing demand for places that meet the needs of children and young people with SEND aged 0-25 and the planned strategies for addressing this need (including the SEN Capital Programme of £44m approved by Cabinet in January 2022 and the Post-16 Skills Resource Centre approved by Cabinet in May 2023).

(4)    To note the change of government funding arrangements for Early Years provision and the planned approach to implementation of the new entitlements.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 23 October 23

Councillor Gwen Grahl (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools) introduced a report seeking approval of the new School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028.

In introducing the report, Councillor Grahl thanked officers for the work undertaken to develop the strategy, which members were advised had been designed to ensure fairness and transparency in terms of the objectives and operating principles underpinning the Council’s approach to school organisation and planning in order to give every child in Brent the best start in life.  In outlining the focus of the strategy on both the sufficiency of places and the sustainability of schools, given the context of the current challenges being faced across the education sector and falling demand for places across some areas of the borough, members recognised the range of measures being developed in response.  These included, as an example, the additional investment provided in response to the increase in demand for SEND provision, with the Council having approved an investment of £44m to deliver 427 additional SEND places across the borough and the co-ordinated programme of support being developed for early years providers in relation to implementation of the expanded entitlement for early years childcare recently announced by the Government.

Having recognised the challenges identified, particularly as a result of varying patterns of demand, Cabinet welcomed the approach outlined in terms of development of the strategy which it was noted had involved a detailed assessment of the available data in relation to pupil projections and demand in order to ensure that every child in Brent could continue to access to a good quality education locally in the borough.  Members also commended the ward member briefings which had been provided as part of the development of the strategy.

In recognising the importance of the strategy in terms of ongoing planning for the sufficiency of school places across Brent, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)        To approve the new School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028, as provided in Appendix 1 of the report.

(2)        To note the focus on planning for the sufficiency of places and the sustainability of schools, based on varying demand patterns impacting on school planning areas in Brent.

(3)        To note there continued to be increasing demand for places that meet the needs of children and young people with SEND aged 0-25 years old and the planned strategies for addressing this need (including the SEN Capital Programme of £44m approved by Cabinet in January 2022 and the Post-16 Skills Resource Centre approved by Cabinet in May 2023).

(4)    To note the change of government funding arrangements for Early Years provision and the planned approach to implementation of the new entitlements.