North London Council Plans to Build New Special School for Children with SEND

Introduction to the New School Plan

A North London council has revealed plans to build a new 50-place primary school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) as it looks to keep pace with growing demand. The development of the new SEND provision at the Strathcona site in Preston Park is set to go to the local consultation phase after Brent Council recently approved the plan at a Cabinet meeting (November 17). It forms part of a wider strategy to increase the borough’s primary and secondary school SEND places by 212 over the next two years, to reduce the rising costs of sending pupils to out-of-borough and independent schools.

A new 50-place special school is set to be built in Preston Park (stock photo)
(Image: GaryBurchell via Getty Images)

Background and Context

The Strathcona site was recently made available after Islamia Primary School was moved to a different location at Gwenneth Rickus in Stonebridge following the closure of Roe Green School. Alongside an additional 88 primary school and 74 secondary school places to be created at four other schools in the borough, it will go towards meeting a rising demand post-Covid.

The Strathcona site will be used for the new SEND school following the closure of Roe Green School
(Image: Google Maps)

Additional Places and Projections

In addition to Strathcona, consultations will be held on an extra 40 places at Woodfield School, 34 at The Avenue, 88 at The Manor School, and a net gain of 40 at The Village School. If given the go ahead, Strathcona and The Manor School places are expected to be delivered in 2026, with Woodfield and The Avenue in 2027 and The Village School modelled for 2028.

In the last year, the number of education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) has increased across all age groups, according to the council. The group that saw the highest increase in numbers were primary school aged children, those aged between five and ten, with an 8.2 per cent rise.

Financial Implications and Demand

Sending pupils to out-of-borough and independent placements currently costs the council £17.5m a year – plus an additional £6m in transport costs. It is hoped that, by increasing the amount of in-borough provision, the council can make significant financial savings over the long term.

Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, Preston Park Councillor, Daniel Kennelly, said: “Thanks to funding being made available, thanks to a site being freed up, we are now able to open a 50-place primary school for SEND education to meet the growing need of EHCPs in the borough.

“The reason this is really positive is because primary school education is seeing the largest growth. […] Brent needs to meet that rise in demand for some of our most vulnerable children and make sure places are accessible and easy to reach for families – rather than having to travel outside of the borough, which costs us a significant amount of money.

“It’s absolutely vital to meet the demand we have seen since lockdown and the consequences that had on so many children – not just in Brent but across the country.”

Still Not Enough

Despite the additional 212 total places – which still need to pass the consultation phase – council projections suggest that this will still not keep pace with levels of demand anticipated, with a predicted shortfall of over 300 primary and secondary school places in 2026/27.

There are currently 977 places in Brent special schools and 246 Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) places – representing increases of 1.5 per cent and 28 per cent respectively since the 2024/2025 academic year.

However not all of Brent’s SEND school places within the borough are used by children from Brent; 12 per cent of the borough’s total capacity is used by pupils from other areas – an increase of one per cent on last year. The council only has access to 860 of the 977 local special school places, and 216 of the 246 ARPs, meaning significant additional places are required.

Current Situation and Future Projections

A total of 136 children are currently in mainstream schools awaiting a place in a SEND school – an increase of 16 per cent on last year – the overwhelming majority of which (128) are of primary age. There are a further 16 children getting home tuition whilst a placement is sought.

Around one in 20 children in Brent has an EHCP, which is supposed to guarantee them certain provision to meet their additional needs. This can range from speech and language therapy to one-to-one support at school, as well as sensory and movement breaks. Figures show that, as of August 2025, there are 2,414 school age children – 5.5 per cent of the total school population – with an EHCP plan, which has been increasing across all age groups.

Nearly half (49 per cent) of children with an EHCP in Brent attend mainstream schools despite a proportion of them needing a special school place to meet their needs.

In a worst case scenario, the council projects that there will be a shortfall of 361 SEND primary school places, and 291 secondary school places, by 2030.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Schools, Cllr Gwen Grahl, described delivering places at Strathcona and the four other locations as “a key priority in the expansion of local SEND provision” but acknowledged that more would need to be done to meet the growing demand.

She said: “Demand for specialist places continues to rise and we are committed to reducing our reliance on costly out-of-borough placements – particularly those in the independent sector. That’s not only better for families because it keeps children closer to home but it also helps manage financial pressures on the council.”

Conclusion

The plan to build a new 50-place special school in Preston Park is a step in the right direction to meet the growing demand for SEND places in Brent. However, with a predicted shortfall of over 300 primary and secondary school places in 2026/27, it is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that all children with SEND have access to the education and support they need.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the plan for the new special school in Preston Park?

The plan is to build a new 50-place primary school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) at the Strathcona site in Preston Park.

How many additional SEND places will be created in Brent?

A total of 212 additional SEND places will be created in Brent over the next two years, including the 50 places at the new school in Preston Park.

Why is there a need for more SEND places in Brent?

The number of education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) has increased across all age groups in Brent, with