Issue - meetings

This report provides Cabinet with a second refresh of the School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028, approved by Cabinet in October 2023 following a refresh received by Cabinet in November 2024.

Prior to considering the report Cabinet noted the comments made by Councillor Kennelly who had requested to speak (as a local ward councillor) in support of the strategy adopted towards the expansion of local SEND provision and proposals relating to development of the Strathcona site within his ward.

Having welcomed the support expressed for the strategy and approach adopted towards the expansion of local SEND provision, Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)       Approve the second refresh of the School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028, as provided in Appendix 1 of the report.

(2)    Note the continued 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)       Note the very early signs of a reversal of declining pupil numbers in the borough and that a requirement to accommodate higher demand in some planning areas may be required in the future.

(4)    Note there continued to be increasing demand for places that meet the needs of children and young people with SEND aged 0-25 and the intention to further develop the SEND estate capital investment programme as Brent’s strategy to address this need, as set out in Section 3.7 of the report.

(5)    Note the school place planning actions completed in the first year of the strategy and the actions planned for the coming academic year as set out in section 4 of the report.

(6)    Note the update on the success measures set out in the original strategy in section 3.1.3 of the report.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 24 November 25

Prior to considering the report, Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) welcomed Councillor Kennelly to the meeting who he advised had requested to speak in relation to the refresh of the School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028.  In addressing Cabinet, Councillor Kennelly advised he had requested to speak (as a local ward councillor) in support of the strategy and approach outlined towards the expansion of local SEND provision, including proposals for the development of the Strathcona site within his ward to provide additional primary places to meet the increasing demand for specialist provision for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in the borough.  In thanking the Cabinet Member and all officers involved for their work to increase the provision of SEND places across the borough, he was keen to recognise the additional benefits this approach would provide in terms of reducing the reliance on the use of out-of-borough placements and placements within the independent sector from both a financial perspective and in terms of ensuring that children and young people with SEND had the opportunity to access appropriate, high quality education provision closer to home within the borough.

Having thanked Councillor Kennelly for this comments, Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of the Council) then invited Councillor Grahl (as Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools) to introduce the report from the Corporate Director Children, Young People & Community Development which detailed the second refresh of the School Place Planning Strategy 2024-28.  In presenting the report, Councillor Grahl began by thanking Councillor Kennelly for his comments in support of the strategy and approach towards the delivery of SEND provision across the borough including the proposals in relation to use of the Strathcona site.  Referring to the refresh of strategy, the opportunity was taken to highlight the focus in continuing delivery on the commitment to provide sufficient, sustainable and high-quality school places in Brent based on every child being able to access a local school, while also supporting schools in adapting to changing demand levels.  As such, members were advised the strategy had been refreshed to respond to growth in certain areas while managing surplus capacity in others.

The strategy also included, as a key priority, proposals relating to the expansion of local SEND provision recognising that demand for specialist provision was continuing to rise and with a focus on reducing reliance on more costly out of borough placements as well as those within the independent sector.  In highlighting the benefits of this approach not only on families, in terms of keeping children closer to home, it was pointed out the approach would also assist in managing the associated financial pressures on the Council recognising the ambition already shown through the major investment in new provision including the opening of the Wembley Manor Special School which represented a capital investment of £22m and which now had children placed and learning there.

Attention was also drawn to the focus within the strategy on the importance of early years education in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9