Agenda item

This report provides a summary of the formal consultation undertaken between June and July 2026 on a proposal to expand Phoenix Arch Special School by 50 places using the Strathcona site (Strathcona Road, Wembley, HA9 8QL). The proposal responds to increasing demand for special school places across the borough for children who present with autistic spectrum condition (ASC) with Cabinet recommended to determine the statutory notice to expand Phoenix Arch Special School by 50 pupils through use of the Strathcona site in September 2027.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)    To note the responses received during formal consultation on the proposal to expand Phoenix Arch Special School.

(2)    To approve the expansion of Phoenix Arch Special School by 50 places utilising the Strathcona site from September 2027.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 14 September 2026

Councillor Rubin (Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Employment & Climate Action) introduced a report from the Corporate Director Children, Young People & Community Development providing a summary of the formal consultation undertaken between June and July 2026 on a proposal to expand Phoenix Arch  Special School by 50 places using the Strathcona site (Strathcona Road, Wembley, HA9 8QL) in response to increasing demand for specialist Special Educational Needs (SEND) provision across the borough and seeking approval to determine the statutory notice to expand the School through use of the Strathcona site in September 2027.

In presenting the report, Councillor Rubin began by reminding members of the new Administrations commitment to giving every child the best start possible in life and ensuring that children and young people could access the support they needed to thrive.  In highlighting the increasing number of Educational Health Care Plans (ECHPs) across the borough and national, it was pointed out that Brent currently had over 4,000 children and young people with an EHCP, which represented a 10% increase in one year and was felt to demonstrate the importance of the proposed investment in seeking to respond to the demand whilst providing high-quality SEND provision in the borough. At the same time, members were also reminded of the number of children being placed in independent special schools and maintained special schools outside the borough with the increased capacity proposed through the expansion of Phoenix Arch School supporting children and their families to access high-quality education closer to home and improving their experience by avoiding the need to travel long distances.

Members were also advised of the financial case in support of the proposal, with independent special school placements costing on average £58,000 per place when compared with £37,000 for an in-borough school place.  Once fully operational, it was therefore anticipated that the expansion would deliver around £1.5m in annual cost avoidance, helping to reduce pressure on the High Needs budget.  The proposal was also highlighted as providing an important contribution to the government's wider SEND reforms, which had also recognised the need to expand specialist provision and ensure that children could access the right support at the right time and in the right way.  In thanking all officers involved for their support in developing the proposals, Councillor Rubin ended by outlining what he felt to be the advantages of the expanded provision in terms of not only building capacity locally but investing in places that would meet specific need and ensure children were able to access specialist education closer to home, enabling them to learn, grow and build relationships within their own community, and with the specialist support they needed to thrive.

In considering the report, Cabinet welcomed the proposals noting the way in which they would not only contribute towards the wider SEND Capital Programme but also in terms of the ambitious and forward-thinking approach they were felt to represent in seeking to address the shortage of specialist SEND placements within the borough given the significant demand for additional SEND provision.  Members were also keen to highlight and commend the role of Phoenix Arch Special School in delivering the provision, recognising the benefits of retaining the school within the community sector and ensuring that local democratic accountability remained at the heart of education provision alongside the advantages in the terms and conditions available for staff.

Members further welcomed the basis of the investment outlined in seeking to improve opportunities for children and families, noting the Council’s commitment to promoting equity and addressing disadvantage with the development of enhanced SEND facilities highlighted as a practical demonstration of the Council’s commitment to supporting vulnerable children and their families.  In addition, the opportunity was also taken to recognise the benefits associated with bringing the Strathcona site back into public use as an approach designed to ensure effective use of public assets whilst also creating additional educational capacity within the borough in a way that would enable those families and children requiring specialist educational provision to access it closer to home.

In closing the debate, thanks were extended to Phoenix Arch Special School and officers for their work in developing the proposals and their commitment to ensuring that the needs of children with SEND continued to be met as close to home as possible with the primary focus to improve outcomes for those children and their families requiring high-quality specialist educational provision within the borough

In support of the proposals as an important element of the wider SEND Capital Programme designed to increase specialist educational capacity, improve local access to SEND provision, enhance support for children and families, make effective use of public assets, and ensure that children with additional needs were able to receive appropriate support closer to home, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)    To note the responses received during formal consultation on the proposal to expand Phoenix Arch Special School.

(2)    To approve the expansion of Phoenix Arch Special School by 50 places utilising the Strathcona site from September 2027.