Agenda item

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 shaping life chances, with reference made to the impact which the Government’s roll out of the 30 free hours childcare offer would also have on working families in Brent being able to access affordable, high quality support and the Council committed to encouraging uptake of the entitlement in order to ensure every child had the best opportunities to thrive regardless of background or circumstances.  In summing up, Councillor Grahl advised that the refreshed strategy reflected the Council’s determination to work in partnership with schools and local communities to ensure all children in Brent were able to continue accessing quality education, with the efforts made to retain existing school provision also commended given the ongoing pressures across some areas in relation to demand.

Following on, Nigel Chapman (Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Community Development) also took the opportunity to outline the work being undertaken in partnership with schools across the borough in order to design solutions focussed on maintaining the sufficiency of places and sustainability of schools (recognising the varying patterns of demand which impacted on school planning areas).  Given the comments made prior to consideration of the report, members were assured this would include the provision of a further report relating to development of Phase II of the SEND Capital estate investment programme.

Having welcomed the support expressed for the strategy and thanked all those involved for their ongoing work to support schools across the borough, Cabinet RESOLVED, having commended the way in which the strategy was felt to demonstrate the ongoing commitment to Brent’s children and young people, to:

(1)       Approve the second refresh of the School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028, as detailed 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.