Agenda item

This report details proposals to deliver additional SEND places within the borough designed to reduce the financial cost of SEND provision as well as provide more local specialist provision for Brent based young people with SEND and support the management of expenditure on the Council’s Special Needs Transport budget, in accordance with strategic priorities set out in the School Place Planning Strategy 2024-28 (second refresh).

Cabinet RESOLVED to approve the proposed SEND Phase II Capital Programme using £10.6m from the High Needs Capital Grant Allocation provided by the Department for Education as detailed in paragraph 3.2.2 (Option 2) of the report in order to complete the identified works within the programme.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 26 January 2026

Councillor Benea (Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Property) and Councillor Grahl (Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education & Employment) jointly introduced a report from the Corporate Directors of Children, Young People & Community Development and Neighbourhoods and Regeneration detailing proposals to deliver additional SEND places within the borough designed to reduce the financial cost of SEND provision as well as provide more local specialist provision for Brent based young people with SEND and support the management of expenditure on the Council’s Special Needs Transport budget, in accordance with strategic priorities set out in the School Place Planning Strategy 2024-28 (second refresh).

Speaking first in presenting the report, Councillor Benea began by reflecting on the important contribution the SEND Phase II Capital Investment Programme would have in ensuring that every child in Brent was able to access the education they needed, as close to home as possible.  Referring to the success in delivery of the first phase of the programme, members were advised this had enabled Brent to deliver 382 new SEND places since 2022, including the recently opened Wembley Manor School, which she had been proud to attend the opening of the previous week.  Having visited the school, Councillor Benea felt this highlighted the difference made to the lives of the pupils and their families now able to benefit from the additional provision, with the school having been carefully designed and built around the needs of its pupils enabling them to build confidence and independence outside of mainstream schooling.  At the same time the impact on the families of those pupils was also highlighted, in terms of the assurance provided that their child would be receiving the care needed closer to home alongside the required support as they developed into adulthood and with the second phase of capital investment, also designed to continue that vital work and give children in Brent the best start in life.

In terms of the proposed capital spending, members were reminded this had only been possible due to the government's £3bn national investment in specialised local provision, designed to provide a clear plan and address what was felt to have been the limited approach adopted by the previous government in terms of the education system for children and young people with SEND.  Focussing on the Phase Two Investment Programme, it was pointed out this had been based on the use £10.6m from the Government's High Needs Capital Grant with the aim of creating 212 additional specialist places and in seeking to reduce reliance on costly out-of-borough placements in an effort to save the Council over £4m annually as well as £1.3m annually in terms of the cost of SEN transport provision.  Members were pleased to note that the programme outlined included reference to the Strathcona Road site with the proposals aimed at securing the site's future whilst providing 50 new SEND school places in a way that would not only continue the commitment to enhance local SEND provision but would also make use of an otherwise dormant site.

Having thanked Councillor Benea for her initial introduction Councillor Grahl continued by advising how delighted she had been to also attend the opening of Wembley Manor School highlighting the importance of the provision being offered as a state-of-the-art specialist school for children with autism and its specific design to support neuro diverse children.  All those involved in delivery of the project at such pace were thanked for their efforts, given the highly valued nature of the facility by both pupils and their families in view of the outstanding experience being delivered.

In welcoming the ambitious nature which it felt Phase Two of the Investment Programme represented, members were reminded of the impact this would have in being able to maintain the high standards and provision delivered to date through the further 212 specialist places being created which would combine not only Additional Resourced Provision (APR) within mainstream school settings but also the development of new specialist sites, including (as had already been highlighted) use of the Strathcona Road site.

Recognising the impact which the support being provided would have on those children with SEND and their families in terms of them being able to flourish and through access to local high quality education (recognising that 98% of Brent’s schools were currently rated good or outstanding by Ofsted and the excellent community of educational staff across the borough) Councillor Grahl ended by highlighting her commitment to delivery of the programme in seeking to continue  the achievements under Phase One of the programme.

In welcoming and expressing support for the proposals and approach outlined within Phase Two of the programme, members were also keen to highlight the wider benefits associated with being able to offer those children with SEND access to suitable local provision not only in terms of delivering the most inclusive and best possible education for young people across the borough as they transitioned through the education system but also in terms of supporting their families, supporting the development of safer and more cohesive communities and managing the costs associated with more expensive out of borough placements.

In once again thanking all those involved for their efforts in developing and delivery of the programme to date recognising the value of the support being provided and in seeking to meet current and projected demand for specialist school provision Cabinet RESOLVED to approve the proposed SEND Phase II Capital Programme using £10.6m from the High Needs Capital Grant Allocation provided by the Department for Education as detailed in paragraph 3.2.2 (Option 2) of the report in order to complete the identified works within the programme.