Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Annual School Place Planning Update – School Organisation Plan 2026
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Democratic Services
Location: Phase II
Ext: 0636
DDI: 01895 25 0636
CMD No: 2026/1701
To: COUNCILLOR SUSAN O’BRIEN
CABINET MEMBER FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES,
HEALTH & CARE
c.c. All Members of the Children, Families, Health &
Care Select Committee
c.c. Julie Kelly – Corporate Director of Children’s
Services
c.c. Abi Preston – Children’s Services
Date: 02 June 2026
Non-Key Decision request Form D
ANNUAL SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING UPDATE – SCHOOL
ORGANISATION PLAN 2026
Dear Cabinet Members,
Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet
Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such, the Local
Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England)
Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply.
You should take a decision on or after Wednesday 10 June 2026 in order to meet
Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may
wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your
decision on the duplicate memo supplied and return it to me when you have made your
decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published.
Ryan Dell
Democratic Services
Title of Report: ANNUAL SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING UPDATE – SCHOOL
ORGANISATION PLAN 2026
Decision made:
Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report)
Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report)
Signed ……………………………………………………… Date……………………..
Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Health & Care
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 1
Part I – Public
ANNUAL SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING UPDATE – SCHOOL ORGANISATION
PLAN 2026
Cabinet Member &
Portfolio
Councillor Susan O’Brien – Cabinet Member for Children, Families,
Health & Care
Responsible Officer Julie Kelly – Corporate Director of Children Services
Report Author &
Directorate
Abi Preston – Director of Education & SEND
Papers with report Appendix A – School Organisation Plan 2025 to 2026
Appendix B – School Organisation Plan 2025 to 2026 – Appendices
HEADLINES
Summary
School place planning is a statutory function of the Council as a local
authority (LA) and involves liaison with all schools and Trusts in the
borough, and with neighbouring LAs. The duty is to have a
sufficiency of school places to meet parent al demand across the
borough. School place planning sets a strategic framework in which
the LA and every school can operate, requiring an annual review
and decisions to be agreed with individual schools and Trusts to
adjust supply, inform timely capital investment , building decisions
and negotiations with the DfE.
The School Organisation Plan was approved for publication by
Cabinet, 18th April 2024 and it was agreed that it would be updated
and presented to the Cabinet Portfolio Member, relevant Select
Committee and schools annually with the latest data and forecasts.
This report presents to C abinet the updated School Organisation
Plan for Hillingdon which will provide the following:
• An overview of the education landscape in Hillingdon
• A summary of current pupil numbers and projected demand
in primary and secondary phases, including specialist
provision
• Options for the Local Authority (LA) to consider when
determining the need to increase or reduce school places.
Putting our Residents
First
Delivering on the
Council Strategy
2022-2026
This report supports our ambition for residents/ the Council of:
An efficient, well-run, digital-enabled council working with partners
to deliver services to improve the lives of all our residents
This report supports our commitments to residents of:
Thriving, Healthy Households
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 2
Part I – Public
Financial Cost There are no direct financial implications associated with the
recommendations in this report.
Select Committee Children, Families, Health & Care Select Committee
Ward(s) All
RECOMMENDATION
That the Cabinet Member agrees the School Organisation Plan 2026 for publication.
Reasons for recommendation
As an education authority, the Council must plan for a sufficiency of places and efficient use of
resources. The School Organisation Plan will support strategic planning and assist the council
to comply with our statutory duties and enable schools to be kept informed of the data
projections in order to plan effectively.
Democratic compliance/ previous authority
Cabinet on 18 April 2024 received the Council’s latest School Organisation Plan and agreed that
for future years to delegate this to be presented to the Cabinet Member, Select Committee and
Schools annually with the latest data and forecasts.
Select Committee comments
The former Children, Families & Education Select Committee considered this matter at its meeting
on Thursday 12 March 2026 and formal comments from the Committee are below, with the
broader minutes of the meeting available as a background paper:
“The Children, Families and Education Select Committee notes that there has been a
reduction in Nursery aged children since last year and significant growth in pupils attending
a special school. This, along with the rise in applications from asylum seeking families
means that close monitoring of the data must continue to remain a focus to ensure that the
local authority is continuing to effectively fulfil its statutory duty.”
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
1. The Council is responsible for planning, organising, and commissioning places for all state-
funded schools in Hillingdon. This ensures that high standards are maintained and that
fluctuating pupil numbers are managed efficiently, leading to the best outcom es for our
children and young people, as well as the sustainability of schools.
2. Local Authorities were previously required to publish a plan setting out how they would
provide sufficient school places for the children within their borough which was a
requirement of the School Standards and Frameworks Act 1998 but has since been
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 3
Part I – Public
repealed by the Children and Families Act 2004. The Education Act 1996, Education and
Inspections Act 2006 and School Standards and Framework Act 1998 no longer require
local authorities to provide this. However, strategic planning remains an invaluable to ol.
It assists Local Authorities in fulfilling their statutory obligations and ensures that schools
are kept informed of data projections, facilitating effective long-term planning.
3. The Plan is presented in 3 Sections; Introduction, Context and Strategy with the 13 sub
sections. The data provided in these sections will be updated annually, with
changes highlighted in this report:
• Purpose and scope
• Government Regulations, Guidance and Policies
4. Highlights the statutory duty of the council to provide sufficient school places for
its residents.
5. Until 2018, the number of children admitted into Hillingdon schools from other Councils
(‘imports') was equal to the number of Hillingdon children attending schools outside of the
Borough (‘exports’). Since then, ‘imports’ have decreased to 9.2% on National Offer Day
2025 and ‘exports’ of resident pupils to schools in other LAs have increased to 12.2% of
residents. Therefore, Hillingdon is currently a net exporter. There has been a
0.3% reduction of imports since National Offer Day 2024 (from 9.5%) and
further 2.8% reduction (from 15.0%) of exports.
• Hillingdon Demographics
6. Provides an understanding of the resident population of Hillingdon and housing
development which must be taken into consideration and incorporated into school
place planning projections. According to the Office of National Statistics Mid- Year
Population Estimates June 2024, the current population of Hillingdon is 329,185 of which
21,132 (6.4%) are aged 0- 4 years, 21,244 (6.5%) are aged 5- 9 years, 24,764 (7.5%) are
aged 10-15 years and 16,279 (4.9%) are aged 16-19 years; in total 25.3% of the Borough
population is aged 0-19.
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 4
Part I – Public
• Hillingdon Schools
7. Provides a review of the types of schools within Hillingdon, an inspection summary and a
breakdown of pupils on roll since 2014/2015 in Nursery, Primary, Secondary, Sixth Form
and Special Schools
8. There has been a gradual increase in pupil numbers between 2014/15 and 2025/26, rising
from 49,384 to 51,364, an increase of 4%. A reduction of 2.3% from figures presented in
the School Organisation Plan 2025 (which was 6.5%). This demonstrates that there has
actually been a reduction in pupil numbers since last year.
9. The increase since 2014/15 has not been across all ages, and there has been 28.7%
reduction in Nursery aged children (23.8% last year).
10. Significant growth in pupils attending a special school since 2014, where we have seen
growth of 119%. However, there has been an increase of 9.0% from
the School Organisation Plan 2025 which was expected.
Oct 2014 = 569
Oct 2024 = 1194 (+625 or +110% since 2014)
Oct 2025 = 1246 (+677 or +119% since 2014 // +52 or +9% since 2024)
• Pupil Forecasting
11. Shares factors taken into consideration when creating projections, such as housing
development, birth rates, and migration.
12. Since September 2021, we have had 1081 applications from asylum -seeking
families residing in temporary Home Office accommodation – a further 122 applications
since the 959 that was presented in the School Organisation Plan 2025.
• Place Planning
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 5
Part I – Public
13. Outlines options available to the Local Authority to ensure the sufficiency of high
quality school places at the right time to meet future need.
14. The forecasts used in this Plan suggest the following:
15. By the 2031/32 academic year, the number of primary pupils (Reception to Year 6) is
projected to be 24,838, a 2.7% reduction compared with the October 2025 census.
For comparison, the 2025 School Organisation Plan reported a larger projected reduction
of 5.8%.
16. By the 2031/32 academic year, the number of secondary pupils (Year 7 to Year 11) is
projected to be 17,346, a 3.3% decrease compared with the October 2025 census.
For comparison, the 2025 School Organisation Plan reported a smaller reduction of 2.5%.
17. By the 2031/32 academic year, the number of sixth form pupils (Year 12 to Year 13) is
projected to be 4,358, a 0.1% increase compared with the October 2025 Census.
For comparison, the 2025 School Organisation Plan reported a reduction of 0.9%.
18. For the academic year 2027/28, the LA has approved a reduction in the PAN of 1
community infant school. Additionally, 3 non- community school admissions authorities
have proposed a similar reduction of 30 places each (1 Form of Entry) in their PAN.
19. A proposal to amalgamate an additional infant and Junior School is being presented to
Cabinet in April 2026, and other Infant and Junior schools will be recommended for
amalgamation in line with the Council Amalgamation policy, where appropriate.
• Childcare and Early Education
20. The current provision of early learning and childcare places in Hillingdon and the
planned growth, taking into consideration the change in parents' entitlement to funded
childcare that took effect from April 2024 and was rolled out further in September 2024 ,
and expanded further in September 2025, with eligible parents being able to receive up to
30 hours of funded childcare, from the term after their child is nine months old.
21. There are currently:
174 registered childminders – 6 less than presented in the School
Organisation Plan 2025 - (181)
58 school-based nurseries – 1 more than presented in the
School Organisation Plan 2025 - (57)
151 Private Voluntary and Independent (PVI)
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 6
Part I – Public
settings 7 more than presented in the School Organisation Plan 2025 (144)
1 Council-maintained nursery school - no change
22. Since September 2024, five schools have extended their age ranges to enable them to
offer funded places to eligible children from the term following their second birthday. This
change has already taken effect for two schools from September 2024 and to a further
three schools from September 2025, creating over 60 additional places. T wo primary
schools have also recently completed consultations to reduce their age range, and another
school is currently considering a similar change.
23. The priority for place planning is ensuring that there are sufficient places for children aged
under two who will be eligible for up to 30 hours of funded childcare.
• Wraparound childcare
24. Currently 21 providers have accessed funding to set up Wraparound provision for school
aged children across the LA, creating 521 additional places across Hillingdon.
• Primary Place Planning
25. A breakdown of all settings in the 14 primary Pupil Planning Areas (PPAs) of Hillingdon as
well as the school place forecasts by planning area from the School Capacity
Survey (SCAP) submission 2025.
PPA Headlines
26. Although 6 PPAs are forecast to grow , only PPA 1, 11 and 12 are expecting significant
growth in the next 7 years, at 20.5%, 15.8% and 42.0% respectively of their current
Reception Roll (+8, +89 and +108 places respectively)
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 7
Part I – Public
27. PPA 1 - This area is predominantly rural and very isolated from the rest of the borough, it
is surrounded by Hertfordshire with one lone village served by a primary school which must
have sufficient capacity to meet local demand. The year groups fluctuate, and this has
caused challenges for both schools in relation to budget and class management.
28. PPA 11 – This PPA is central to the largest concentration of population in the borough and
the largest developments (up to 1000 units by approximately 2030/31) and is adjacent to
PPAs 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12. It is also close to Heathrow so parents are affected by the changes
due to the pandemic in permanent and more casual employment. The PPA borders Ealing,
where potential future housing developments close to H illingdon could influence cross -
border pupil movement in the coming years . Even with this projected increase over the
next 7 years, there is sufficient capacity within the PPA.
29. PPA 12 - This area has experienced volatility in rolls due to changes of housing tenure
linked to Covid and Heathrow uncertainty, leading to housing previously leased by the
airport being used by families and increasingly by government agencies for temporary
rehousing of vulnerable families. PPA 12 borders PPAs 11, 13, and 14, as well as the
London Borough of Hounslow. These neighbouring PPAs currently have sufficient capacity
to absorb any surplus demand from PPA 12. This situation will continue to be monitored,
but no further action is planned at this time.
30. PPA 7, 9 and 14 show a projected decrease in pupil numbers of 7.9%, 6.3% and 7.8% of
their current Reception Roll (-25, -14 and -20 places respectively).
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 8
Part I – Public
31. PPA 7 - The recent pattern of household moves and of pupils travelling to schools outside
their planning area across PPA 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 is being carefully monitored
32. PPA 9 – We are closely monitoring recent trends in household movements and the number
of pupils attending schools outside their designated planning areas across PPAs 6, 7, 8, 9
and 11.
33. PPA 14 - This PPA borders with PPA 10, 12 and 13 as well as South Bucks.
• Secondary Place Planning
34. A breakdown of all settings in the 2 secondary Pupil Planning Areas (PPAs) of Hillingdon
as well as the school place forecasts by planning area from the School Capacity Survey
(SCAP) submission 2025.
35. The October 2025 census shows a year-on-year fall in secondary numbers to 17,934 (not
including 6th form) for the second consecutive year (190 less than October 2024). Year 7
roll in the October 2025 Census stabilising at 3,479 (1 more than October 2024).
PPA Headlines
36. The North of the borough in the next 7 years is projected to show a decrease
of 1.8%, (5.94% previously reported in 2024) compared to the current total Year
7 Roll (- 27 places).
37. The South of the borough in the next 7 years is projected to show a decrease
of 8.8%, (10.1% previously reported in 2024) compared to the current total Year 7 Roll (-
175 places).
38. Rolls have stabilised at a high level, and revised projections show Year 7 intake have
passed their peak, while the total secondary roll is expected to peak in September 2026.
39. There continues to be considerable movement of pupils who live south of the A40 but
attend schools north of it. In 2025, 23% of pupils offered a place at a school in the north
were residents of the south, a 5% decrease compared with 2024. In contrast, only 1% of
pupils travelled from north to south of the A40 in 2025, also a 1% decrease compared from
the previous year. Differences in admission criteria and parental preferences can lead to
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 9
Part I – Public
unpredictable patterns of allocation and fluctuations in the number of sibling links over time.
These fluctuations mean that both the north and south of the borough need to maintain a
margin of available places to manage shifts in demand.
• Special Education Needs (SEN) - Special Schools & Alternative Provision (AP)
40. A breakdown of the specialist provision in the borough as well as the projected demand
for additional places and the current projects in place to meet demand.
41. Within mainstream schools - In Autumn 2024, 12.2% of children are on SEND Support and
2.8% with EHCPs. In Autumn 2025, 12.7% of children are on SEN Support and 3.1% with
EHCPs showing additional growth.
42. There is also a change from last year’s projections for residents with EHCPs now expected
to be 3947 in 2031/32 compared to 4055 presented in the School Organisation Plan 2025
(a drop of 108). Given the release of recent SEND reforms, it should be noted that this
could change substantially given the proposed legislative changes the government is
consulting on.
43. There are currently 29 AP providers (2 more than presented in the School Organisation
Plan 2025) signed up to the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), providing officers with a
broad range of provisions to consider when seeking Alternative Provision for Hillingdon
child.
• Next Steps
44. Acknowledges that we must continue to monitor the data and update the relevant
committee as well as stakeholders via strategic groups such as Schools Strategic
Partnership Board (SSPB) and Head Teachers Termly to help manage demand.
Financial Implications
There are no direct financial implications to the Council’s General Fund arising from the updated
School Organisation Plan. The Plan provides a strategic overview of current and projected pupil
numbers but does not commit the Local Authority to any financial expenditure.
Any future decisions relating to changes in school capacity —such as adjustments to Published
Admission Numbers (PAN), temporary measures, or organisational changes—will be considered
individually and funded through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), primar ily via the Schools
Block Growth Fund, as determined through the Schools Forum.
Cabinet Member Report – 02 June 2026 Page 10
Part I – Public
RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION
The benefit or impact upon Hillingdon residents, service users and communities
The School Organisation Plan will support strategic planning and assist the council to comply
with its statutory duty to provide sufficiency of school places to meet parent demand across the
borough. It will also allow for schools to be kept informed of the data projections in order to plan
effectively for future demand.
CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance have reviewed this report and concur with the Financial Implications set out
above, noting there are no direct financial implications on the General Fund associated with the
recommendations in this report, with the recommendations supporting the delivery of the Schools
Budget, funded through the Designated School Grant.
Legal
There are no specific legal implications arising from this report.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
Background paper 1 – Children, Families & Education Select Committee – Thursday 12 March
2026 – School Place Planning: School Organisation Plan
APPENDICES
Appendix A – School Organisation Plan 2025 to 2026
Appendix B – School Organisation Plan 2025 to 2026 - Appendices
Plan page 1
London
Borough of
Hillingdon
School
Organisation Plan
Plan page 2
Contents
Section 1 Introduction 4
1.1 Purpose and Scope 4
Section 2 Context 5
2.1 Government Regulations, Guidance and Policies 5
2.2 Funding and Delivery 6
2.3 Hillingdon Demographics 7
2.4 Hillingdon Schools 8
2.5 Pupil Forecasting 12
Section 3 Strategy 14
3.1 Place Planning 14
3.2 Childcare and Early Education 17
3.3 Primary Place Planning 19
3.4 Secondary Place Planning 21
3.5 Post 16 Planning 23
3.6 Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) - Special Schools &
Alternative Provision Planning
24
3.7 Next Steps 32
Plan page 3
Foreword from the Director of Education & SEND
One of the Council’s core commitments to residents is to provide thriving, healthy households
where children, young people, their families and vulnerable adults and older people live
healthy, active, and independent lives.
The School Organisation Plan is crucial to meeting this ambition, as it sets out the approach
as to how we will manage surplus capacity in our schools, whilst ensuring sufficiency of places
in all sectors of education, to ensure the best outcomes for our children and young people and
sustainability of schools.
“Hillingdon's children and young people are the future of Hillingdon. We are just as
ambitious for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and
Disabilities (SEND), and those who access alternative provision, as we are for every
other child.” Hillingdon Local Area SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy for Children and
Young People 0-25 years.
We are keen to continue to strengthen our partnership working with Headteachers, governors
and families as part of our strategic planning of education provision, working together to review
the education landscape to manage the increases and decreases in demand for school places.
Abi Preston
Director of Education & SEND
Plan page 4
1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose and Scope
The Council has a statutory duty to ensure there are sufficient places for every resident pupil
(Education Act 1996, Section 14).
The Council continues to invest in education capacity and quality through the provision of
school support and monitoring, and the expansion of schools where needed to meet demand.
The Council’s investment in new and modern education buildings and facilities continues to
provide the high-quality learning environment that Hillingdon children need.
The mixed economy of Council maintained schools and academ ies/free schools in the
Borough gives the Council a dynamic but central role in securing the best educational
outcomes for children and young people in the Borough. Working in partnership with school
leaders, multi -academy trusts and other relevant responsible authorities, the Council
continues to promote high standards for all learners and to challenge underperformance where
this occurs.
The Council must plan, organise, and commission places for all state -funded schools in
Hillingdon to ensure high standards are maintained, diverse school communities supported,
and sufficient places are available.
The demand for school places changes over time - this document is ‘live’ and, as such, will be
updated annually. It sets out the Council’s current projections over the next 7 years in order to
understand where there will be a need to provide more school places and if there may be a
need to provide fewer places. Increases in demand can lead to the creation of a new school
or the expansion of ex isting schools, whereas decreases in demand can lead to a reduction
in school provision.
We strive to communicate effectively with schools and school communities about the pressure
for places in each area. However, the C ouncil also endeavour s to manage expectations
regarding school organisation proposals. This document does not seek to definitively set out
all the actions the Council intends to take in the future but rather is intended to provide an
overview and outline our strategy to manage any changes effectively.
This document aims to present schools, governing bodies, and residents with the following:
• A n overview of the education landscape in Hillingdon
• A summary of current pupil numbers and projected demand in primary and secondary
phases, including specialist provision
• Options in place for the Council to consider when determining the need to increase or
reduce school places
The School Organisation Plan will be updated annually with the latest census and School
Capacity Survey (SCAP) data and forecasts. This may result in changes to existing proposals
as the Council responds to the latest demographic changes in the Borough.
Plan page 5
2. Context
2.1 Government Regulations, Guidance and Policies
The Council has a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places, oversee a fair admissions
process and ensur e that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
have access to appropriate quality provision. This is to ensure that all pupils can access a
school place if they apply. These duties are for all of the pupils who are resident in the Borough
- including children attending schools in other Local Authority (LA) areas or independent
schools.
The Council also has a range of responsibilities for the schools in the Borough, and the
pupils and staff in them, depending on their legal status . Each type of school has
different powers and governance, and a different relationship with the Council and the
Department for Education (DfE), and each Council is different. All pupils have the flexibility to
choose to go to school anywhere, as long as they meet the admissions criteria for the relevant
school. Due to this, the Council must review the flow of children across the 7 neighbouring
Councils as well as Hillingdon pupils educated in Hillingdon schools. Until 2018, the number
of children admitted into Hillingdon schools from other Councils ( ‘imports') was equal to the
number of Hillingdon children attending schools outside of the Borough (‘exports’). Since then,
‘imports’ have decreased to 9.2% on National Offer Day 2025 and ‘exports’ of resident pupils
to schools in other LAs have increased to 12.2% of residents. Therefore, Hillingdon is currently
a net exporter.
Map 1. Hillingdon Secondary Pupil Import Export Data – National Offer Day 2025
Plan page 6
From 2010, the Council changed the way it funds schools, and now delegates most of the
schools block funding directly to schools, rather than retaining a percentage of funding for
central Council services to provide support to schools. This means that Hillingdon community
schools have greater autonomy than the average. Generally, schools are financially strong
and resilient, and this was a benefit during the pandemic.
The London Borough of Hillingdon aims to offer every child a primary and secondary school
place, either on national offer day for Reception and year 7 applicants , or within 15 school
days of applying for a place for in-year applications. The Admissions team aim to offer places
within a reasonable distance from the home address and, where possible, at one of the
schools preferred by the parent. For further information about School Admissions please refer
to the School Admissions 2026 brochure.
2.2 Funding and Delivery
The London Borough of Hillingdon uses a mixture of funding sources to finance additional
school places. Funding sources available include basic need grant from central government,
Free School Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding (when available) and
potentially Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contributions from
developers.
The London Borough of Hillingdon has a Capital Programme Works Service to help assist in
the development of school expansions and new schools. Through the work of this team, school
building projects are delivered t o required standards and at good value, ensuring the best
Plan page 7
outcome from the investment of public funds. For further information please refer to the School
Capital Projects and building maintenance guidance for schools.
Schools Forum
The Schools Forum is a requirement under the Department for Education (DfE) regulations
and is governed by the Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012 , effective from 1st
October 2012. Representatives from schools and academies make up the schools forum.
There is also some representation from non-school organisations, such as nursery and 16-19
education providers. Please see the list of Schools forum operational and good practice guide
- GOV.UK
The Schools Forum acts as a consultative body on some issues, and a decision-making body
on others. One such area on which Schools Forums can make decisions on is whether to
create a fund for significant pupil growth in order to support the Council’s duty for place
planning and agree the criteria for maintained schools and Academies to access this fund.
Proposals can be made to the Schools Forum which must meet at least four times a year .
Regular updates on the delivery of new provision are provided to the High Needs subgroup of
Schools Forum.
The Council cannot distribute extra funding to specific schools outside the funding formula and
Schools Forum process.
2.3 Hillingdon Demographic
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the second largest of London's 32 boroughs, situated to
the west of the capital. It has a unique location, bordering three neighbouring London Local
Authorities (Ealing, Harrow, and Hounslow) as well as three Authorities outside of London
(Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Surrey). According to the Census 2021, the population
was 305,900 of which 19,882 (6.5%) were aged 0-4 years, 20,469 (6.7%) were aged 5-9 years,
23,681 (7.7%) were aged 10-15 years and 14,871 (4.9%) were aged 16-19; in total, 25.8% of
the Borough population was aged 0-19. According to the Office of National Statistics Mid-Year
Population Estimates June 2024, the current population of Hillingdon is 329,185 of which
21,132 (6.4%) are aged 0-4 years, 21,244 (6.5%) are aged 5-9 years, 24,764 (7.5) are aged
10-15 years and 16,279 (4.9%) are aged 16-19 years; in total 25.3% of the Borough population
is aged 0-19.
New Housing
The London Borough of Hillingdon currently has a housing target of delivering 10,830 self -
contained homes between 2019/20 and 2028/29. Along with this, there are further plans to
deliver other types of housing, such as student accommodation, older persons’ housing, and
shared accommodation, although many of these accommodation types are less likely to
impact pupil numbers. The Mayor of London has committed to reviewing the adopted London
Plan (2021) and has published a timeline to adopt this in 2027/28 . This will contain a new
housing target for the London Borough of Hillingdon. The Government’s prescribed housing
need for London is 88,000 homes per annum and, if translated into borough housing targets,
would likely lead to a significantly higher target for Hillingdon.
New housing will be delivered in every ward over this period, with a higher concentration of
housing in areas with more available brownfield land and higher public transport access. This
includes the areas in and surrounding Uxbridge and Hayes town centres. The latest five-year
projections of where housing will be built are shared annually by the Planning Policy Team
with Education colleagues and incorporated within school place planning projections. Beyond
Plan page 8
this five-year period, the growth area for new housing will be set out in the Council’s emerging
Local Plan.
Developer Contributions
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge which can be levied by local authorities
on new development in their area. It is an important tool for local authorities to use to help
them deliver the infrastructure needed to support development in their area.
Since 2014, this is a mechanism that the Council has used to support capital programmes
across the Borough, including any education related projects. This funding is accessed
through an internal capital process where projects will be assessed and prioritised in line with
the Council’s priorities.
However, there are some historic agreements with developers still paying Section 106
education contributions from before the CIL regime was adopted in 2014. Section 106
agreements may also exist with neighbouring local planning authorities , but these will be
infrequent.
2.4 Hillingdon Schools
The schools' landscape in Hillingdon consists of ninety-seven (please note that Guru Nanak
Sikh Academy is 1 all through school but in some reports counted twice for primary and
secondary) state-funded settings which include a mixture of Council maintained schools and
a range of other types of settings including academies, non-maintained special schools, and
University Technical Colleges (UTCs)/studio colleges . Approximately 3 3% of all primar y
schools in Hillingdon are academies, with 67 % remaining as maintained schools. In the
secondary school sector, approximately 90% of all schools are academies with only 10%
remaining as maintained settings. In the special school sector, approximately 70% of schools
are academies whilst 30% are maintained by the Council.
Following the Academies Act 2010, schools have been able to convert from maintained to
academy status and under current legislation states that all new schools must be free schools.
There are currently forty -nine academy schools in Hillingdon (14 multi -academy Trusts who
operate more than one school, and seven standalone academy Trusts). Please refer to
Appendix 2 for breakdown.
Free Schools and Academies
Section 6A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires local authorities to seek
proposals for a new academy if it believes a new school needs to be established in its local
area. As part of inviting proposals, the Council would be expected to identify a site and funding
for any building works. Hillingdon is not able to determine where and when free schools open,
although the ESFA, who manage the Free School programme, work closely with Council
Officers to time openings to meet local demand. Free Schools, once opened, are also
academies. There are certain exceptions to the requirement to seek proposals for a new
academy and these are set out in the legislation and expanded on in the statutory guidance
“March 2025”. With the opening of the Grand Union Village and Pinn River in January 2026.
Types of Hillingdon State funded Schools
The range and number of state funded schools in Hillingdon is shown in Table 1 below. Place
planning for independent schools is not undertaken by the Council. These schools sit outside
the maintained sector.
Plan page 9
Table 1. Total number of schools in Hillingdon based on type of provision – January
2026
Appendix 3 explains the definition for each type of provision.
Demand for education places
Hillingdon has the seventh highest number of pupils of the 32 London boroughs (DfE statistics
June 2025). As you will see from the graph below, there was a gradual increase in pupil
numbers between Oct 2014 and Oct 2019 totalling 6.3%, followed by a period of relative
stability up to Oct 2024 (within +/- 0.7% each year), with the latest Oct 2025 data showing a
drop of 2.3% from the previous year.
Graph 1 - Pupils in Hillingdon schools, October School Census 2014 - 2025
Plan page 10
(Please note that the slight discrepancy between the individual figures by phase, and the total figures
for pupil numbers, is a result of those who are dual registered in both mainstream and special
schools)
However, the trend has not been the same across all ages , and there has been a 28.7%
reduction in Nursery aged children across this period. There are many factors that can affect
the decision of a family when deciding if their child will attend an early years setting, so it is
difficult to establish exactly the cause of the decline, but certainly some of the reduction is
linked to the reducing birth rate which has fallen around 7 % between 2016/17 and 2022/23
(see graph 2).
Table 2. Pupils in Hillingdon schools, October School Census 2014 - 2025
The table above summarises the pupil on roll data from Graph 1, to show the movement in
pupil numbers between 2014 and 2025, taken from the October school census each year, for
each phase of education. It should be noted that t he data specifically reflects the number of
children attending school‑based nurseries and does not include places in private nurseries or
with childminders. As you can see, the impact of reducing pupil numbers in Nursery, is filtering
through to the Primary sector where the previous trend of growth has now reversed, and this
impact will also affect the Secondary sector as pupils get older and continue to move through
our schools.
Plan page 11
Also apparent is the significant growth in pupils attending a special school over the last 11
years, where we have seen growth of 119% since 2014 (569 on roll in October 2014 school
census, 1,246 in October 2025). There is significant work under way to support children, young
people and schools to provide sufficient places to meet this increasing demand within our
SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy 2023-28.
This work has included additional special school places , and an increase in the number of
specialist provision places within our mainstream schools (Specialist Resourced Provision
(SRP), and Designated Units (DU). The Local Authority are working with Bishop Ramsey
Church of England School to open a 24 place SRP for pupils with ASD in September 2026,
subject to DfE approval. Officers are continuing to liaise with Secondary school colleagues to
explore further possibilities of creating additional SRPs or DUs.
Available capacity in schools
Based on the Published Admission Number for Hillingdon schools detailed in Appendix 4, the
table below show s the total number of places available by phase, which are used to meet
demand.
Table 3. October 2025 -Total number of places available by phase
*Secondary PAN excludes bulge classes
**UTC/Studio uses Physical Capacity in place of PAN
***Special Schools use LBH Commissioned Places in place of PAN
As you can see, there are sufficient places in both the primary and secondary phase in
mainstream however, there is a high demand for special school places . There are projects
already underway to close this gap and ensure that sufficient and appropriate provision will be
in place to meet the needs of the children and young people of Hillingdon.
A greater challenge relates to the over -capacity in the Primary sector, where there are more
places than required. Conversations continue with schools about ways to reduce the impact
of th is challenge, resulting in a range of options to consider, including reducing the PAN,
alternative use of any space, and amalgamation for example.
There is also an excess of capacity in sixth form and in UTC / Studio College schools at the
secondary phase. This is largely out of the control of the Council as all 18 sixth forms and all
Plan page 12
4 UTC / Studio Colleges have their own admission policies . Sixth Form PANs exceed actual
rolls because the post‑16 market is highly competitive, schools keep small but viable classes,
and they offer a wide range of Level 3 courses to attract students. This leads to varied class
sizes and inconsistent course uptake.
Ofsted Inspection Outcomes
Hillingdon's Ofsted inspection outcomes demonstrate an improving picture when compared
with the previous year. At the end of the 2023/24 academic year 94% of schools were judged
as Good or Outstanding. This is 2 % higher than 2022/23, and 4 % higher than the England
average as you can see from the table below.
In 2024/25 Ofsted continued their full inspection programme with a change to outcome
wording to move away from the one-word overall judgement. Further information on outcomes
can be found in the Education Standards Report which is presented annually to Children,
Families & Education Select Committee in March and then signed off by the Cabinet Member
for Children, Families & Education in April.
Table 4. End of 2023-24 Inspection Summary – Hillingdon verses England
2.5 Pupil Forecasting
School place planning is the comparison of the projected future demand for school places with
current school capacity. This can highlight a projected over-supply or under-supply of places,
either of which is managed through a delivery plan. The delivery pl an needs to be flexible to
cope with changing demographics, so that projects can be accelerated or slowed in response
to actual demand. It is best practice to retain additional capacity between 5% - 10% during the
year to support any transition and movement of pupil s, therefore the LA aim to provide a
surplus margin in line with these parameters, to ensure that the Council can place new arrivals,
cope with higher than forecast demand and enable as many parents as possible to secure
places at their preferred school.
Pupil forecasts are calculated by applying recent trends to current known population data.
Hillingdon’s forecasts of future Reception demand are mainly based on the number of births
in Hillingdon 5 years before, with 7-year projections provided for secondary school places ,
based on existing pupils moving through their education. Hillingdon subscribes to the Greater
London Authority (GLA)’s school roll projection service, which creates a roll projection based
on the GLA population projections of the wards where pupils live. The underlying factors
include:
Development
The amount of development projected in the area will affect that authority’s population
projections and, in turn, its school roll projections. More development generally means that
the Council will attract more people, and its population will therefore rise.
Plan page 13
Births
The number of births in an area will have a direct impact on the number of children requiring
school places four years later. In academic year 2022/23 (the latest available data), there were
approximately 4,143 live births. This figure decreased each year from 2015/16 to 2020/21 but
is projected to increase slightly in the short term, stabilising with an average of 4,300 live births
per annum. The graph below shows the number of live births each academic year since
2016/17 and projections until 2028/29. This includes the latest available GLA data for the
annual Schools Capacity survey (SCAP) 2025.
Graph 2. Hillingdon Births
Migration
Migration, both from other areas within the UK and internationally, can significantly influence
population projections.
In-year growth is used here to mean new arrivals to Hillingdon applying for school places
outside the usual start points of Reception and Year 7, including those starting after
September in Reception and Year 7. The level of new arrivals will be influenced by many
factors including the number of affordable housing units built and national issues.
Historically, Hillingdon had net movement inwards , but this slowed from 2015 onwards and
reversed, resulting in net outwards movement from 2019- 2021 which can be attributed to
factors such as Brexit and Covid, where we have seen a change in the population within a
number of communities. This is not forecast to change at the current time.
Another challenge for Hillingdon is due to Heathrow airport being in the Borough, and a
subsequent increase in asylum-seeking families and refugees arriving in the UK. This has an
impact on schools by increasing the level of mobility of pupils attending Hillingdon schools, as
some families are resettled out of the Borough within a short timescale. Between September
2021 and January 2026, we have received 1081 applications from asylum-seeking families
residing in temporary Home Office accommodation in the Borough for Hillingdon schools.
Plan page 14
3. Strategy
3.1 Place Planning
The Council aims to provide the right number of high-quality school places at the right time to
meet the current and future need of children and young people in Hillingdon. In order to ensure
the Council is able to meet its statutory duties and maintain an education system that is fit for
purpose and financially viable, there is a range of actions required as outlined below.
The primary sector faces the most significant challenge with low or declining pupil numbers.
This creates significant pressure on schools financially, impacting their capacity to deliver a
strong viable curriculum offer, manage staffing within budget, and to be able to manage other
commitments.
The total number of children attending secondary schools has fallen for the first time in many
years, but is projected to stabilise slightly above the current level by 2026/27, and then start
to reduce, so there will be the same challenge to address in the secondary sector. Sixth Form
projections follow a similar patter n to Secondary and will stabilise in the same year but fall
more slowly remaining above current pupil numbers.
The forecasts used in this Plan suggest that the total number of:
• Primary school pupils (R -Y6) on roll by 203 1/32 will be 2 4,838, down 2.7% from
October 2025 Census.
• Secondary school pupils (Y7-Y11), on roll by 2031/32 will be 17,346, down 3.3% from
October 2025 Census.
• Sixth form pupils (Y12 -Y13) on roll by 2031 /32 will be 4,358, up 0.1% from October
2025 Census.
Ways to Manage Place Planning
PAN Reductions
While some surplus school places are required, it needs to be managed and controlled
carefully, making sure that there is not an oversupply, which causes inefficiency and is not a
good use of resources . This could be destabilising for schools leading to challenges with
financial viability and quality issues. It is expected that schools will respond to any significant
reductions in applications for places at their school, where appropriate, by consulting with the
Council to discuss any potential reductions in their Published Admissions Number (PAN).
Table 5. PAN reductions in Hillingdon
Plan page 15
For the academic year 2024/25, the LA has agreed a reduction of PAN at 1 community primary
school and 2 foundation primary schools. This will reduce the PAN by 30 places for each of
the Foundation schools and 21 places for the Community school – a total of 81 places.
For the academic year 2025/26, the LA has formally agreed on the PAN reduction at 2
community primary schools. This will reduce the PAN by 30 places for each school – a total
of 60 places.
For the academic year 2026/27, the admissions authority for 1 non- community school has
formally agreed on a PAN reduction. This will reduce the PAN by 30 places for the school – a
total of 30 places.
For the academic year 2027/28, the LA has approved a reduction in the PAN of 1 community
infant school. Additionally, 3 non-community school admissions authorities have consulted to
a similar reduction in their PAN. If approved, each school’s PAN will decrease by 30 places,
resulting in a total reduction of 120 places.
Gradual Opening
When new school places become available either at a new school or as part of an expansion
project, not all the classes are open to pupils in the first year. Usually only the lowest year
group will open in the first year and these pupils will gradually move up through the school one
year at a time. This phased approach ensures the best use of resources and manages the
new entrants to the school in an efficient way, safeguarding the school from over-supply. We
are not due to open any mainstream sc
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 05 June 2026
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE
PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES
Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by
Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Title of decision ANNUAL SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING UPDATE – SCHOOL
ORGANISATION PLAN 2026
Reference No. 2026/1701
Date of decision Friday 5 June 2026
Call-in expiry date Friday 12 June 2026
Relevant Select
Committee
Children, Families, Health & Care Select Committee.
Relevant Wards All
Decision made
Cabinet Members making
the decision
Councillor Susan O’Brien Children, Families, Health & Care
Decision Agreed
The Cabinet Member agreed the School Organisation
Plan 2026 for publication.
Reason for decision To ensure the Council fulfils its statutory duty to provide
sufficient school places, supports strategic planning, and
keeps schools informed of data projections to plan
effectively.
Alternative options
considered and rejected
None, as the Council has a statutory duty to plan for school
places
Classification Part I - Public
Link to associated report Report can be found here
Relevant Officer contact
& Directorate
Abi Preston – Director of Education & SEND
Any interest declared by
the Cabinet Member(s) /
dispensation granted
N/A
Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in
[Internal Use only]
When can this
decision be
implemented by
officers?
Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only
from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:
5pm on Friday 12 June 2026
Executive Decision Notice – 05 June 2026
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by
Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a
valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise
the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold.
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This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive
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