Hackney’s Baden Powell School to Reopen as Special School for Children with SEND
Introduction to the New School
An East London primary school which has stood empty since its closure last year is set to reopen as a new special school. After a collapse in pupil numbers, Hackney Council closed Baden Powell Primary alongside three other schools in August 2024 and merged it with the nearby Nightingale Primary School. Later that year, the Mayor of Hackney Caroline Woodley said the council was eyeing up “at least one” of the now-empty buildings to be turned into a specialist school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The now empty former Baden Powell Primary School in Clapton, Hackney
(Image: Hackney Council)
The New Plans for the School
On Wednesday (November 5) the council confirmed it planned to reopen the former Baden Powell site as a new specialist facility for 48 pupils. “By investing into this now-vacant site, we are continuing to meet our commitment to create over 300 high quality places for the use of our children with SEND, and give new life to the building,” the Mayor said. The reopened site would become part of an expanded Ickburgh School, which is based in Homerton. If agreed, the old school will undergo significant refurbishment to meet pupils’ needs, including specialist rooms for art and food tech and new and improved staff and therapy spaces.
Benefits of the New School
The council added that the new school would ease its reliance on placing SEND children in more expensive independent schools or facilities out-of-borough, while also creating more jobs. In Hackney, more than one in five children have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or receive SEND support, higher than both the London and national averages as of January 2025. This year the borough ranked 23rd in England for the number of pupils with EHCPs.
The proposed new library space would overlook the building’s internal courtyard
(Image: Gollifer Langston Architects As Part Of The Feasibility Study For The Baden Powell Site)
Reactions from Local Councillors
Labour ward councillors for the area, Sem Moema and Michael Desmond, said the plans showed their party was meeting the challenge from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, who has urged councils to “think creatively” about how closed schools could address the SEND crisis hitting Britain’s education system. “We are very pleased to see Baden Powell school take on a new life which will benefit so many vulnerable young people in Hackney, particularly in Hackney Downs ward,” they told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). Green councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock, also representing Hackney Downs, told the LDRS he welcomed the news that the school with a “long history in the community” would remain in the hands of the council and hoped to see other sites similarly closed also used for community benefit.
Next Steps for the New School
The council published its statutory notice on Thursday (November 6), and residents will have until December 3 to share their views on the plans. If approved, works would begin next year with an anticipated opening in September 2027. Baden Powell shut in August 2024 along with three other Hackney primaries – Randal Cremer, De Beauvoir and Colvestone – following an unsuccessful public campaign to keep the schools open. The local authority is currently weighing up a raft of submissions from community groups for how to repurpose the empty Grade-II listed Colvestone building, including one proposal to transform it into a “vibrant cultural and educational hub”.
Conclusion
The reopening of Baden Powell school as a special school for children with SEND is a positive step forward for the community. The new school will provide much-needed support and resources for children with special educational needs and disabilities, and will help to reduce the council’s reliance on independent schools and facilities out-of-borough. The refurbishment of the old school building will also create new jobs and bring new life to the community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is happening to the old Baden Powell school building?
A: The old Baden Powell school building is being reopened as a special school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Q: How many pupils will the new school cater to?
A: The new school will cater to 48 pupils.
Q: What kind of facilities will the new school have?
A: The new school will have specialist rooms for art and food tech, as well as new and improved staff and therapy spaces.
Q: When is the new school expected to open?
A: The new school is expected to open in September 2027.
Q: How can residents provide feedback on the plans?
A: Residents can provide feedback on the plans by responding to the council’s statutory notice, which is open for comments until December 3.
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