Children Families & Education SC

Minutes CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND EDUCATION SELECT COMMITTEE 04 February 2025 Meeting held at Committee Room 5 – Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW Committee Members Present: Councillor Heena Makwana (Chair), Councillor Ekta Gohil, Councillor Peter Smallwood OBE, Councillor Kishan Bhatt, Councillor Tony Gill, Councillor Rita Judge, and Councillor Jan Sweeting (Opposition Lead) Co-Opted Member Present: Tony Little Officers Present: Antony Madden (Head of First Response) Ryan Dell (Democratic Services Officer) Also present: David Pells (Deputy Head, Park View, Orchard Hill College) Dylan McTaggart (HRUC Group Principal & Deputy CEO) Professor Geoff Rodgers (Pro Vice Chancellor for Enterprise and Employment, Brunel University of London) 54. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE (Agenda Item 1) Apologies were received from Councillor Becky Haggar OBE with Councillor Ekta Gohil substituting. 55. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN MATTERS COMING BEFORE THIS MEETING (Agenda Item 2) Councillor Peter Smallwood declared a non -pecuniary interest in item 12 in that he was a trustee of the Union of Brunel Students. 56. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING (Agenda Item 3) Members thanked the clerk for the minutes. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed 57. TO CONFIRM THAT THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS MARKED AS PART I WILL BE CONSIDERED IN PUBLIC AND THAT THE ITEMS MARKED AS PART II WILL BE CONSIDERED IN PRIVATE (Agenda Item 4) 58. WITNESS SESSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION: ORCHARD HILL COLLEGE (Agenda Item 5) David Pells, from Orchard Hill College, introduced the College. Orchard Hill College operated across multiple areas including Hillingdon, Kingston, Southwark, and Sutton. The college had 11 sites and links with 14 schools that were part of their Academy. The site in Hillingdon had approximately 85-90 students. There was a focus on working on Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) outcomes in employment, good health, independent living, and friends & relationships. These were related to the young peoples’ EHCPs. There were also students who did not have EHCPs who were funded through the education budget. There was a supported internship program, one based at the Civic Centre and one based at Hillingdon Hospital. Members asked about the criteria for student admissions. There were a range of needs at the college including young people with medical needs and those with moderate to severe learning difficulties. The admissions process included expressions of interest from parents ; assessments by a panel ; and visits to schools to determine the support and funding needed. Members inq uired about the changes implemented as a result of student feedback. The Student Council meetings and the "You Said, We Did" report highlighted examples such as planning social activities and improving timetables. Regarding Student Council meetings, efforts were being made to standardise the agenda across all regions. Students had felt they did not have enough opportunities for activities outside the college. Consequently, the college had partnered with Brunel University of London, who had allowed the college to use their facilities once a month for a nightclub event. The first event was scheduled for the 27 February, and student participation was being encouraged. Additionally, the College had established strong connections with social care colleagues and local feeder schools. The Student Council was focused on addressing student concerns, such as access to town and community involvement. The college was collaborating with local authorities to improve these aspects for young people. The goal was to enhance student engagement with the community and provide more opportunities, ensuring consistency across all of the college’s sites. Members inquired about the support provided to students progressing to higher education or careers. The primary course was a thre e-year program centred on Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) outcomes, which included planning for students' post-college destinations. For example, some learners attended the gym at the leisure centre, and it was ensured that this continued after they finished their course. In the third year, during the annual review, the college suggested a post -college timetable to support the transition. This include d arrangements for gym attendance and identifying any necessary support, such as a personal assistant. For employment, the college explored voluntary and paid job opportunities. They had established connections with various companies, including Uxbridge Football Club where some students ha d secured voluntary and paid positions. Additionally, supported internships were available for students who are suitable for this pathway, providing a stepping stone after completing the three -year course. The college also explore d voluntary opportunities with charity shops and food banks, aiming to achieve the best aspirations for students, including paid work. Job coaches supported students by attending events and career fairs, working on interview skills, and providing career guidance. The college also focused on building friendships and relationships, particularly for students with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Activities such as archery at the town centre were organised to ensure continuity after college. For students requiring additional support, the college collaborated with social care to facilit ate their transition. Some PMLD learners attend day centres like Queens Walk, where they engage in activities and hydrotherapy. The college also offered a Work Start program, a two -year course for high -ability students, which include d job coaching to suppo rt them in securing paid work. This program focuses on employability skills, assessed units, and functional skills in math and English. The goal was to help these students secure paid employment, working closely with social care to explore various support avenues after they finish college. Members asked about the college's capacity for future growth. There was limited space but a desire to expand supported internships and work start programs. Members inquired about how the Council could assist. The College would benefit from being known more widely in the area. They had been based next to Hillingdon Leisure Centre for approximately 30 years , and there was a desire to increase awareness about Orchard Hill College and its offerings. The importance of participating in events to raise the profile of their students was highlighted. Some students recently attended the SEND Youth Forum, which provided an excellent opportunity for interaction and discussion about effective practices. The need for more opportunities for young people to secure paid employment, voluntary positions and work experience was emphasised. The supported internships had been back ed by a number of local businesses, and the importance of community engagement was reiterated. Members asked about future capacity. The need for increased capacity was acknowledged as there were challenges of limited space, which restricted the possibility of expansion. Despite these limitations, there was a strong desire to increase the number of students. The college was exploring various options to address these space constraints. A significant number of students with profound and multiple learning disabili ties (PMLD) attend the college, often accompanied by family and friends, which further emphasi sed the need for additional space. The college was particularly focused on expanding its supported internships, which were currently off-site (at the Civic Centre and Hillingdon Hospital). There was a keen interest in growing these programs to accommodate more students, especially those at entry level and above. Members asked if this had been communicated to the Council and it was confirmed that it had been. Members inquired about the life-changing learning opportunities provided by the college. Several success stories of students who had benefited from various programs and support services were shared: One notable example involved a wheelchair user who initially had no communication aids and struggled to be understood. With the support of speech and language therapists, the student was provided with a grid pad, an iPad with pages for different communication needs, such as family, friends, and activities. This aid enabled the student to vocalise their needs and participate more fully in the community. The student had also been involved in enterprise activities, such as making items to sell at the Christmas market, which was a great success. Another success story involved a student with significant mental health challenges who had been out of school for several years. After joining the Work Start course, the student began attending regularly and secured two work placements: one at a reptile house and another at a dog grooming company. The student also worked at a football club, where they were offered paid work, although they were not yet ready to take that step. The student was now considering a supported internship program, potentially at Thorpe Park, which ha d been life- changing for them. Additionally, there was the story of a young lady who initially lacked travel training skills and was unable to travel alone. With the support of a teaching assistant, she learned to navigate her route from home to college and was now working on traveling independently to her work placement at a hair salon in West Drayton. This progress ha d been transformative for her and her family. Members congratulated the College for its outstanding Ofsted inspection in 2019 and inquired about preparations for the next inspection. Recent preparations included a health check conducted by a former Ofsted inspector, which involved learning walks and observations of teachers. Feedback was provided to the inspector who confirmed that their assessments were aligned. Additionally, the assistant principal conducted safeguarding talks, receiving positive feedback. The college h ad implemented intervention plans for students who needed them and offered contextual safeguarding sessions on relevant topics such as mental health and e-safety. New teachers underwent a comprehensive two -week induction process, covering essential training in areas like behaviour support and physio training. Only after completi ng this induction did they begin classroom teaching. The college conducted regular learning walks every couple of weeks and formal observations once a month. Teachers who did not meet the required standards were placed on development plans, receiving one -on-one support from the deputy head or head of college. The focus was on providing targeted feedback to help teachers improve without overwhelming them. Members thanked the witness for attending and commended the work of the college. RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the report 59. WITNESS SESSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION: UXBRIDGE COLLEGE (Agenda Item 6) Dylan McTaggart, from Uxbridge College, introduced HRUC, and thanked Members for the opportunity to present the item. The college group had 15,000 students, growing at 7% annually. 8,500 students were aged 16-18, with 50% at Level 3 and above. 4,500 adults were enrolled, with about 2,000 of these on part-time programs. The college had a diverse student body, including 4 50 looked after children, which had doubled in the last two years. These young people achieved only 1% below their peers and amongst the highest achievement in the UK. There were 850 high-needs students, ranging from low, profound and multiple learning disability where you might have three staff members and one student, up to those who were on their journey to university. About 60% of students came to the college without both English and maths GCSE. The college had the highest progress despite this and w as in the top 10% of all colleges nationally. This achievement was 8% above national average, despite merging with Richmond College which was a failing college financially and achievement-wise at the time. Harrow and Uxbridge Colleges were both rated outstanding by Ofsted, and including Richmond College the overall rating was good. The college was very employer-focused. The college boasted a 96% positive destination rate for students (i.e. a job or moving up a level). The college had a 97% retention rate across the 15,000 students. Of the 3%, some were for relocation purposes. Exclusions were under 20 for the entire year, which the college was very proud of. Significant investments were being made in STEM and engineering, including a £12 million investment to develop the Institute of Technology. There was a strong partnership with the local authority. Hillingdon was very outward looking compared to other local authorities that the college group were stationed in. There had been some groundbreaking work on the 14 -19 education strategy and good partnerships with schools. The college had just purchased Barra Hall in Hayes for a new facility. This would be of benefit as the college was growing by 15% a year in high ne eds students alone. Members asked about the number of students who leave with GCSEs in Maths and English. For those who came to the college without this, the pass mark was around 23%, which was significant for this cohort. It was reiterated that there was a 96% positive destination. This meant that despite poorer starting points, those students were achieving merits and distinctions in the ir main vocational course, and 80% got their first choice of university. Students were generally at the college for thr ee to four years and so by the time they left the college the vast majority had GCSEs. Members asked about moving staff around the different sites. Some teachers did move across the sites, in engineering for example. The growth of the college was vast and they were constantly recruiting. There was a constant 7% vacancy factor with 3% agency on top. The college did not cancel classes. Members inquired about the partnership with MIT. This was an exciting new project and the college was trying to focus their curriculum on the future. They did this be engaging with partners such as MIT. This was about upskilling staff and giving students the opportunity to visit MIT and experience MIT aspiration. There were internal scholarships for students and the college h ad started a national competition where schools and other colleges can put forward students to present approaches to changing environmental challenges and he judges of the competition were MIT. The college funded prizes for these students even when they were external to the college. Members asked about whether the college was competing with local schools or offering something different. Students o r parents may choose the college because their staff have worked in Microsoft or Google or other engineering firms and bring this experience into the classroom. The college also had facilities beyond traditional classrooms such as a nutrition suite that was set up like a hospital. They were also investing in aero technology. Students do as well as talk about. Members asked about partnerships with secondary schools. It was noted that this was a strong and significant partnership that had evolved a lot in the last two to three years. A lot of work had been done with the education team such as curating a headteacher network. While there may have been initial hesitation about the college form schools, the college had worked hard to dispel these concerns and to try to complement schools. The college attended regular networks to discuss working together. A key focus had been on the 14-19 strategy, looking at young people who were at risk of becoming NEET. There was a large learner voice network where class reps would go to student conferences and talk about their experiences of the college and their aspirations. There were brave conversation networks that focused on groups who may have underperformed. One cohort that had been underperforming was black Caribbean students. Conversations were had with young people about what they need when they come from secondary school and the college conducted initial and diagnostic assessments. The college also conducted knowledge gap assessments. The 60% of students who arrived without a GCSE was in the lowest 20th percentile nationally, but the left in the top 10%. Members inquired about addressing challenges faced by disadvantaged students and ensuring that further education was accessible to these young people. This was an important cohort for the college, particular 18 -21 year olds in full time programmes. The college offered hard ship bursaries and loans. The vast majority of students came for free because they will not have done their first Level 3 qualification and therefore they were funded. There was a small number of co-funded students doing part time courses who were already in work. Members asked how the college ensured that students from low -income backgrounds and those facing social barriers received the necessary academic and pastoral support. Members also asked about mentoring schemes. This was a growing portion of the student body. There was a mental health tracking list for students with PIPs. There was training around this. There were safeguarding lists including for domestic violence. There was a significant student services offer with specialist wellbeing staff, spec ialist mental health staff, specialist looked after children staff, and counsellors. The college was good at tracking the student journey and would notice when students were falling away. There was a dedicated student services team on site. There was a tutorial offer where every student received one hour a week one-to-one with an academic tutor to ensure they were on track. Students could monitor their progress on the college app. The college were trying to make more use of AI and were investing in this. they were also experimenting with more mentoring programmes; there were a team of people who walked through the campus looking for signs. Members further asked how the college addressed challenges faced by disadvantaged students. The college may enrol students in smaller groups so they get more support. There was a significant programme of workshops and additional teaching. There was a digital learning system to help engage students who had missed lessons. Members asked about the numbers of withdrawals of students. The overall withdrawal rate was 3%, which was very low. Some students may withdraw due to relocation. For example, some of these students were ESOL students. There was a very small number of students who would be removed because of behaviour/ engagement. Members asked about tracking destinations of students. The college measured the destination of every student, of which there were 96% positive destinations. About 35% went into work, a significant number came back into the college for the next year. Of the roughly 2,000 final year Level 3 students, they often went into university or work o r the internal H igher Education programme. The other 4% were also tracked, for example they may be NEET. This tracking was done via an intended destination and then a prolonged destination tracked in the following January. Members asked how the college ensured consistency in tracking student progress across different campuses. The college had groundbreaking tracking tools at the headline, group, college and school levels (e.g. engineering school), and down to the student level. This included assessment tracking, attendance and retention. Every student had an individual leaning plan (ILPs). Students had three ILP 1 -2-1 sessions per year, with targets to help them get a higher grade or improve attendance or engage in a more productive way. These targets would be monitored alongside academic performance. These are signed off as ‘met well’, ‘partially missed’ or ‘referred’. If referred the target carried to the next term. Specific targets were set for high needs students based on their EHCP and there was extra engagement with students where needed. Members asked about the college’s capital programme and plans for future capacity. It was both capacity and student experience focused. The college was growing quickly and wanted to invest in what it was like to be on campus. This would include new reception spaces and learning resources centres. The college was also investing in immersive classrooms. Members commended the witness for their passion. RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the report 60. STRONGER FAMILIES HUB REIVEW UPDATE (Agenda Item 7) Officers provided an update on the recommendations of the Committee’s previous major review of the Stronger Families Hub. RECOMMENDATION 1: To continue to raise the profile of the Stronger Families Hub with all Hillingdon stakeholders, including schools (both in and out of the Borough), community organisations, third sector organisations and elected Members, with a view to improving resident awareness of the Hub and the support available to them. This recommendation was to ensure that all residents were aware of the support that was available to them. RECOMMENDATION 2: Seeks to maintain the resilience of the 24/7 Hub model by monitoring the staff and triage resourcing covering the out-of-hours service, in light of comments made by witnesses. The Stronger Families Hub operated 24/7, 365 days of the year. This recommendation was to ensure that there was capacity in the out of hours service to lessen the strain within office hours, where most demand arose. RECOMMENDATION 3: Review the capacity within the Hub to support increased demand, in light of comments made by witnesses, in particular from unaccompanied asylum-seeking children arriving at Heathrow Airport. A number of investments had been made to boost capacity. Having Heathrow Airport located within the borough created a particular set of challenges and opportunities for the Hub, and officers had introduced a pilot team to make sure that it was a dedicated bespoke service that was provided to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. RECOMMENDATION 4: To note the Health and Social Care Select Committee’s review into the effectiveness of the CAMHS referral pathway, and to review ways to enhance signposting around mental health services via the Hub and to voluntary and private sector services. This was noted. RECOMMENDTION 5: To continue to raise awareness of the Stronger Families Hub regularly with partners to keep abreast of changes or new developments. This is to include an annual renewal of the membership of the Stronger Families sub -group to ensure it reflects all stakeholders; & RECOMMENDATION 6: Ensure the Stronger Families Hub is accessible to a diverse range of communities by investigating advertising and promoting the Stronger Families Hub in additional languages; It was noted that while some communities were termed hard to reach, officers wanted to be more creative in ensuring accessibility and awareness of the Hub, aiding in preven tative measures rather than waiting for issues to become entrenched. A number of methods had been used for this including using the Stronger Families Partnership as a conduit of sharing information. Officers focused on relationship - based social work with children and their families. Word of mouth was useful, and IT can assist in getting the message out in a range of languages. However, digital communication did not work for everyone. Therefore, the Hub did rely on partners including stronger communities leads and managers to work with faith groups, community groups and the voluntary sector to make sure information was available to all children and families. RECOMMENDATION 7: Investigate adding into the referral form process to explain why consent had not been obtained, where appropriate. The Committee had questioned why there was not an option for the referral on the Early Help Assessment form (which served a dual purpose of assessment and referral) to be made without consent. Officers had given this much consideration and discussion but wanted to avoid pitfalls and barriers that had been encountered in the past. The Hub often received large amounts of information and would try to make contact with families, often without any contact details, which would in crease the time taken when decision making should be 24 hours. Officers could enable up to 72 hours but preferred to make quick decisions within one working day to ensure there were no delays for the family and that they receive d the right service at the r ight time. Evidence showed that giving an option not to have obtained consent did lead to delays. It also started the process on the right footing as informed consent from every parent or person with parental responsibility was required . Getting this buy -in at the earliest opportunity was more pragmatic. This meant that by the time the family were contacted by the Hub this would focus more on explaining the support available, rather than the family being unaware that their information had been shared in the first place. Therefore, this recommendation had not been introduced. However, it was noted that there was free text within the referral form so that the referrer could enter any additional information on why consent had not been obtained. Members noted that they were pleased to see the free text option. Members acknowledged the progress made and the increased demand on the Hub. Members noted the vacant officer post and asked about the Hub’s resilience to increased demand. Officers confirmed that there was a continued growth in demand. The average of 1,500 requests for assist ance per month had risen to between 1,900 and 2,200 depending on the time of year. Officers also acknowledged the innovative approach to building capacity outside office hours. The one vacant triage officer post remained vacant and officers remained committed to recruiting to this role. There were 10 posts in total. Three staff members had been recruited in the last six weeks. The interim post of a Stronger Families Hub team manager had now been converted into a permanent role. Nationally, there was an incr ease in demand in most local authorities. Most, if not all, local authorities were looking towards early intervention, being preventative and Hillingdon was ahead of the curve for this. The Hub were in discussions around national reforms. Members noted th at in light of national reforms there would likely be implications for the Stringer Families Hub including staffing and resourcing, as a full review of children’s social care delivery model was currently in progress. Members asked for further information o n this. Officers noted that they were continually looking at the improvement journey and aiming high. There were expectations, because of the national reforms, that there may be other areas of change. One example of this may be child protection experts leading on child protection inquiries. It was felt that having the same person lead on all child protection inquiries and having the same person chair the initial case conference would give consistency in oversight, whereas in the past it had been an allocated team that would complete the Section 47 Child Protection Inquiry and the assessment. The proposed changes were driven by the data, and the data showed that the Hub completed a very high level of Section 47 enquiries relative to the number that progressed to child protection case conference. The Hub respected the rights of the family whilst making sure that it adhered to statutory responsibilities to undertake assessments and inquiries if a child was reported or may be at risk of significant harm. Members asked about unaccompanied asylum -seeking children arriving at Heathrow and asked about the impact on the service of the demand in this area. Officers noted that being a port authority was an area that made working in Hillingdon’s Children’s Services unique, with Heathrow being the largest air gateway into the UK. Hillingdon had good links with Heathrow Travel Care and UK Border Force to ensure that information sharing was rapid. On demand, apart from a slight decrease in 2020 due to the pandemic, there had been year on year increases in the number of children seeking asylum, many of whom arrived at Heathrow as a port authority (Port Authorities also included Essex because of Dover, and Croydon because of Lunar House). The number that Hillingdon had was alwa ys high compared to London neighbours and typically the second highest in number of unaccompanied asylum -seeking children. The first response service, which was the referral and assessment service, had had responsibility for assessing and supporting all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children that arrived in borough. This now sat with the new pilot team. Asylum-seeking children were looked after children with the same rights and responsibilities. Hillingdon was also a signatory to the National Transfer Scheme, which was about lessening the strain on the southeast of England. This scheme was working well. While the team was working to move children to their permanent borough within 10 working days, this was not always met. This was, in part, due to the need t o rely on external colleagues and the receiving local authority for a placement to be identified and then supporting the safe transfer of that child to their new placement. It was hoped that the new team would continue beyond the pilot, and this would allo w key workers to facilitate the transfer and escorting of children during their day of transport from Hillingdon to the new local authority and it would be worthwhile to have key workers able to support rather than social workers spending a disproportionate amount of time where there were other children that they need to be supporting and protecting. Members noted that a number of older asylum -seeking children were attending schools that were a large distance away, and that this had an impact on absenteeism. Members asked about mental health and the recommendation to ‘review ways to enhance signposting’, and that there were some areas for improvement required. Members asked how this was progressing. The role of the Thrive Network and particularly the appoi ntment of the Thrive Manager and Practitioner had been vital in coordinating this. While Thrive had been in place for two to three years, it was felt that it had not been achieving the outcomes that were expected. Therefore, there was now a lead to oversee all 25+ services for mental health. There was an interim directory, and a user-friendly online directory was in its final stages and due to be launched at the end of this month. While digital resources were important, the importance of children's centres, family hubs, and universal services, whether it be colleges, universities or schools where people can access the support, whether it be pre-birth, or under 5, or 5 to 18, or all the way up to age 25 if they have special educational needs was highlighted. RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the update 61. PERSISTENT ABSENTEEISM REVIEW UPDATE (Agenda Item 8) The Chair noted that this item would be deferred to allow Members more time to consider draft recommendations and to discuss with officers. The Labour Lead thanked the Chair for this decision. RESOLVED: That the item be deferred 62. MINUTES OF THE CORPORATE PARENTING PANEL (Agenda Item 9) Members noted the minutes of the previous Corporate Parenting Panel. RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the minutes of the previous Corporate Parenting Panel 63. FORWARD PLAN (Agenda Item 10) Members considered the Forward Plan. RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the Forward Plan 64. WORK PROGRAMME (Agenda Item 11) Members suggested looking at, given that the March agenda was looking heavy, whether any items could be pushed back to a later date. RESOLVED: That the Children, Families & Education Select Committee considered the report and agreed any amendments 65. WITNESS SESSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION: BRUNEL UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Agenda Item 12) (Note: this item was taken after item 6) Professor Geoff Rodgers, from Brunel University of London, introduced the item. The university had a distinctive profile in UK higher education, with highly employable graduates, a driver of social mobility and doing research that was firmly informed by the needs of society, such as social science, engineering and computer science. In the spectrum of UK universities, Brunel was a distinctive organisation. The university had 10,000 undergraduate students, 6,000 master’s students, 1,000 doctoral students, 2,300 staff with a turnover of £300 million. Brunel had an apprenticeship programme, focused mainly on the needs of the NHS workforce plan, and also digital science. Brunel had received an outstanding from Ofsted for its apprenticeship programme and was the only institution in London to do so. There were two large transnational education programmes in China, one in Chongqing which was one of the fours imperial capitals of China. There were 500-600 students studying electrical engineering there. The other was a digital science programme in Beijing wit h 600 students studying Brunel degrees. Members inquired about the university's student demographics and marketing strategies. The university recruited locally, with 45% of students from the UK, 10% from Europe, and 45% from the rest of the world. Most UK students came from West London and surrounding areas. The university had strong relationships with local schools and colleges, particularly Uxbridge College which was the largest single provider of students. Recruitment efforts were focused on the south o f England and particularly West London. A sizeable fraction of students were from Hillingdon, with some from surrounding boroughs. The university was at the cutting edge of innovation in UK higher education. They were currently working with 20 businesses over five sessions to build innovation plans and secure public funding. Brunel had established the Central Research Laboratory at Hayes which had spun out nearly 130 new businesses, and had now moved to Slough. A large number of students went on to start their own businesses. The university’s emphasis was on student start-ups with staff working with established businesses. Brunel received income from Innovate UK. The university encouraged students to engage in volunteering to enhance their CVs and gain sk ills. There were also volunteering awards, which recognised the contributions of students. Members inquired about the university's financial pressures. The university faced financial pressures similar to other UK universities and councils. Lots of universities were undertaking restructuring programmes. Brunel had a healthy intake of undergraduates which was an increase on the previous year’s numbers. Efforts were being made to align capacity with demand. The university worked closely with its Student Union, investing in projects that aligned with the university's strategy. There was strong cooperation on issues like widening participation and supporting students. Members discussed the civic agreement between the university and the Council. This was a commitment from both parties to work more closely. While these relationships take time to grow, successful projects include d work on High Streets and public parks. Members asked about integration of international students. Brunel had worked hard to create an inclusive and multicultural community to make everyone feel included. There was a sense of superdiversity within the university. Members thanked the university for its volunteering opportunities. It was noted that there were opportunities for Hillingdo n to benefit from the university's entrepreneurial students and the potential for more incubators and support for startups in the borough. There were vast numbers of entrepreneurial students who could start businesses locally. RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the report The meeting, which commenced at 7.00 pm, closed at 8:35 pm. These are the minutes of the above meeting. For more information of any of the resolutions please contact Ryan Dell at democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk. Circulation of these minutes is to Councillors, Officers, the Press and Members of the Public. The public part of this meeting was filmed live on the Council's YouTube Channel to increase transparency in decision -making, however these minutes remain the official and definitive record of proceedings.

Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING – UPDATE – March 2025 Committee name Children, Families & Education Select Committee Officer reporting Abi Preston – Director of Education & SEND Gary Binstead – Head of Education & SEND Commissioning Papers with report School Organisation Plan Ward All HEADLINES 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 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 agr eed with individual schools and Trusts to adjust supply, and to inform timely capital investment and 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 Committee 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. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Children, Families & Education Select Committee: 1. Consider the updated School Organisation Plan with the latest data and forecasts ; and 2. Provide comments to the Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education for consideration SUPPORTING INFORMATION The Council is responsible for planning, organising, and commissioning places for all state-funded schools in Hillingdon. This ensures that high standards are main tained and that fluctuating pupil numbers are managed efficiently, leading to the best outcomes for our children and young people, as well as the sustainability of schools. Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public 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 repealed by the Children and Families Act 2004. The Education Act 1996, Education and In spections Act 2006 and School Standards and Framework Act 1998 no longer require local authorities to provide this. However, strategic planning remains an invaluable tool. It assists Local Authorities in fulfilling their statutory obligations and ensures t hat schools are kept informed of data projections, facilitating effective long-term planning. The Plan is presented in 3 Sections; Introduction, Context and Strategy with the following 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 Highlights the statutory duty of the council to provide sufficient school places for its residents. 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 10.5% on National Offer Day 2024 and ‘exports’ of resident pupils to schools in other LAs have increased to 15.0% of residents. Therefore, Hillingdon is currently a net exporter. There has been a 0.5% reduction of imports since National Offer Day 2023 (from 11%) and further 0.2% reduction (from 14.8%) of exports.  Funding and Delivery Acknowledges the funding sources available to support additional school places and introduces the role of the Schools Forum.  Hillingdon Demographics 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.  Hillingdon Schools Provides a review of the types of schools within Hillingdon, an inspection summar y and a breakdown of pupils on roll since 2014/2015 in Nursery, Primary, Secondary, Sixth Form and Special Schools There has been a gradual increase in pupil numbers between 2014/15 and 2024/25, rising from 49,384 to 52,574, an increase of 6.5%. A reduction of 0.5% from presented in the School Organisation Plan 2024 (which was 7%). However, the increase has not been across all ages, and there has been 23.8% reduction in Nursery aged children (25% last year) Significant growth in pupils attending a special school, where we have seen growth of 110% since 2014. This is an increase of 14.3% from the School Organisation Plan 2024. Oct 2014 = 569 Oct 2023 = 1045 (+476 or +84% since 2014) Oct 2024 = 1194 (+625 or +110% since 2014 // +149 or +14% since 2023) Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public  Pupil Forecasting Shares factors taken into consideration when creating projections, such as development, birth rates and migration. Since September 2021, we have had 959 applications from asylum -seeking families residing in temporary Home Office accommodation – a further 179 applications since the 780 that was presented in the School Organisation Plan 2024  Place Planning Outlines options available to the Local Authority to ensure the sufficiency of high quality school places at the right time to meet future need. The forecasts used in this Plan suggest that the total number of:  Primary school pupils (R -Y6) on roll by 2030 / 31 will be 24,905, down 5.8% from October 24 Census. (A reduction of 11.4% was presented in the School Organisation Plan 2024).  Secondary school pupils (Y7-Y11), on roll by 2030 / 31 will be 17,675, down 2.5% from October 24 Census. (A reduction of 4.9% was presented in the School Organisation Plan 2024).  Sixth form pupils (Y12-Y13) on roll by 2030 / 31 will be 4,286, down 0.9% from October 24 Census,(A reduction of 1.9% was presented in the School Organisation Plan 2024) 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. A proposal to amalgamate a n additional infant and Junior School is being presented to Cabinet in April 2025, and other Infant and Junior schools will be recommended for amalgamation in line with the Council Amalgamation policy.  Childcare and Early Education The current provision of early learning and childcare places in Hillingdon and the planned growth, taking into consideration th e change in parents' entitlement to funded childcare that took effect from April 2024 and was rolled out further in September 2024. This entitlement will broaden further in September 2025, with eligible parents being able to receive up to 30 hours of funded child care, from the term after their child is nine months old. There are currently:  181 registered childminders – 5 less than presented in the School Organisation Plan 2024 (186)  57 school-based nurseries – no change  144 Private Voluntary and Independent (PVI) settings 2 less than presented in the School Organisation Plan 2024 (146)  1 Council-maintained nursery school - no change Since September 2024, f ive schools have changed their age range to be able to offer funded places to eligible children from the term after their second birthday. A further primary school has completed a consultation recently to lower their age range and another school is also considering making this change. 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. Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public  Primary Place Planning 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 2023. PPA Headlines PPA 1 and 12 in the next 7 years are projected to show the most growth , both at 16.67% of their current Reception PAN (10 and 50 places respectively) 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 an infant and junior 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. 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 gover nment agencies for temporary rehousing of vulnerable families . This PPA borders with PPAs 11, 13 and 14 as well as Hounslow. PPA 9 and 13 show a projected decrease in pupil numbers of 11.85% and 11.11% of their current Reception PAN (-32 and –10 places respectively). PPA 9 - This area is adjacent to PPA 11 and to the borough of Ealing and therefore can be affected by demand for places from outside the PPA/Borough. PPA 13 - The two schools in this PPA serve distinct villages and communities, though there has been a change in the pupil population as more housing has been vacated and taken over by agencies for temporary housing. The Heathrow Airport Expansion plan could affect the area in the long term if the project proceeds.  Secondary Place Planning 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 2024. The October 2024 census shows a year-on-year fall in secondary numbers (not including 6th form) for the first time since 2014 (225 less than October 2023). PPA Headlines The North of the borough in the next 7 years is projected to show a decrease of 5.63% compared to the current total Year 7 PAN (-95 places) The South of the borough in the next 7 years is projected to show a decrease of 13.7% compared to the current total Year 7 PAN (-279 places). Rolls have stabilise d 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 Sept 2026. Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public There is significant movement of pupils living to the south of the A40 travelling to schools north of the A40. 28% of pupils offered a place in a school in the north are resident in the south of the borough, compared to only 2% in the opposite direction. The operation of the different admission criteria and parental preferences creates unpredictable outcomes and changing sibling links sometimes. This fluctuates and requires a margin of spaces both north and south of the Borough to absorb any movement.  Post 16 Planning The number of young people accessing post 16 provision in Hillingdon and the partnerships in place.  Special Education Needs (SEN) - Special Schools & Alternative Provision (AP) 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. Within mainstream schools - In Autumn 2023, SEND Support was 11.8% and 2.5% EHCPs. In Autumn 2024, 12.2% of children are on SEND Support and 2.8% with EHCPs showing additional growth. There is also a change from last year’s projections, for residents with EHCPs now expected to be 4055 in 2029 / 30 compared to 4493 presented in the School Organisation Plan 2024 (a drop of 438) There are currently 27 AP providers signed up to the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), providing officers with a broad range of provisions to consider when seeking alternative provision for a Hillingdon child.  Next Steps 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 general fund of the LA from this policy. Decisions on expansions are carefully considered, and funding for additional provision is sourced from DfE/ ESFA grants and/ or other capital funding sources such as CIL funding. Expansion for school PAN is funded from the growth fund as directed by the schools’ block distribution via the schools forum. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS There are no specific legal implications arising from this report. BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL. APPENDICES School Organisation Plan

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 6 2.4 Hillingdon School 7 2.5 Pupil Forecasting 11 Section 3 Strategy 12 3.1 Place Planning 12 3.2 Childcare and Early Education 15 3.3 Primary Place Planning 17 3.4 Secondary Place Planning 18 3.5 Post 16 Planning 20 3.6 Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) - Special Schools & Alternative Provision Planning 21 3.7 Next Steps 29 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 peo ple 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. 94% of Hillingdon's schools overall were judged Good or Outstanding at the end of 2023/24 academic year, an increase of 2% from the prior academic year. It is vital that all decisions linked to school organisation promote equality of opportunity and quality of provision. 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 de mand can lead to the creation of a new school or the expansion of existing 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 pl aces in each area. However, the Council 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:  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 in place for the Council to consider when determining the need to increase or reduce school places The School Organisation Pla n 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 10.5% on National Offer Day 2024 and ‘exports’ of resident pupils to schools in other LAs have increased to 15.0% of residents. Therefore, Hillingdon is currently a net exporter. Map 1. Hillingdon Secondary Pupil Import Export Data – National Offer Day 2024 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 Plan page 6 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 2025 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 outcome from the investment of public funds . Reports are published twice a year through Cabinet (April and October). 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 sch ools 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 meets seven times a year (the minimum requirement is to meet four times a ye ar). 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 current population is 305,900 of which 19,882 (6.5%) are aged 0 to 4 years, 20,469 (6.7%) are aged 5-9 years, 23,681 (7.7%) are aged 10-15 years and 14,871 (4.9%) are aged 16-19; in total, 25.8% of the Borough population is aged 0-19. Plan page 7 New Housing The London Borough of Hillingdon 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. This will contai n a new housing target for the London Borough of 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. 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, t here are some historic a greements 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-nine 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 33% of all primary 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-eight academy schools in Hillingdon (14 multi -academy Trusts who operate more than 1 school, and 7 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 F ree School programme, work closely with Council Officers to time openings to meet local demand. Free Schools, once opened, are also Plan page 8 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”. There are currently 3 special Free Schools agreed for Hillingdon. 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. Table 1. Total number of schools in Hillingdon based on type of provision – September 2024 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 2024). As you will see from the graph below, there has been a gradual increase in pupil numbers between 2014/15 and 2024/25, rising from 49,384 to 52,574, an increase of 6.5%, with the overall number being relatively consistent over the last 6 years. Graph 1 - Pupils in Hillingdon schools, October School Census 2014 - 2024 Type of Provision Community Academy Voluntary Aided Foundation Total Nursery Schools 1 0 0 0 1 Primary 29 23 10 6 68 Secondary 0 16 0 2 18 Special Schools 2 5 0 0 7 UTC / Studio Colleges 0 4 0 0 4 Alternative Provision 0 1 0 0 1 Total 32 49 10 8 99 Number of Places Plan page 9 (Please note that the slight discrepancy between the individual figures by phase, and the total figures for pupil numbers, is a result of who are dual registered in both mainstream and special schools) However, the increase has not been across all ages, and there has been a 23.8% reduction in Nursery aged children. 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 10% between 2016 and 2021 (see graph 2). Table 2. Pupils in Hillingdon schools, October School Census 2014 - 2024 The table above summarises the pupil on roll data from Graph 1, to show the movement in pupil numbers between 2014 and 2024, taken from the October school census each year, for each phase of education. As you can see, the impact of reducing pupil numbers in Nursery, is filtering through to the Primary sector where growth has slowed, and this impact will also affect the Secondary sector as pupils get older and continue to move through our schools. Also apparent is the significant growth in pupils attending a special school over the last 10 years, where we have seen growth of 110% since 2014 (569 on roll in October 2014 school census, 1194 in October 2024). 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 most recent SRP’s and DU’s open since January 2024, are providing an additional 72 places for children with SEND in the Borough. 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. Oct-14 Oct-24 Difference Difference % Nursery 3,281 2,500 - 781 - 24% Primary 26,103 26,427 + 324 + 1% Secondary 15,622 18,127 + 2,505 + 16% Post 16 3,810 4,326 + 516 + 14% Special 569 1,194 + 625 + 110% Total 49,385 52,574 + 3,189 + 6% Plan page 10 Table 3. October 2024 -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 16 of the 18 sixth forms and all 4 UTC / Studio Colleges are academies and have their own admission policies. 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. 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 2023-24 2022-23 Judgement Hillingdon England Hillingdon England Outstanding 13% 13% 14% 16% Good 81% 77% 77% 72% Requires Improvement 6% 8% 8% 9% Inadequate 0% 2% 1% 3% Plan page 11 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 deliv ery plan. The delivery plan 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. 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 2021/22 (the latest available data) , there were approximately 4,090 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 4,200 live births per annum. The graph below shows the number of live births each academic year since 2015/16 and projections until 2027/28. This includes the latest available GLA data for the annual Schools Capacity survey (SCAP) 2024. Graph 2. Hillingdon Births Plan page 12 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 has had net movement inwards , but this slowed from 2015 onwards and has seen a change, with 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 2025 , we have received 959 applications from asylum -seeking families residing in temporary Home Office accommodation in the Borough for Hillingdon schools. 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 are 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 continued to rise but is projected to stabilise 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 pattern to Secondary and will peak at 2025/26 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 20 30 / 31 will be 2 4,905, down 5.8% from October 2024 Census.  Secondary school pupils (Y7-Y11), on roll by 2030 / 31 will be 17,675, down 2.5% from October 2024 Census.  Sixth form pupils (Y12-Y13) on roll by 2030 / 31 will be 4,286, down 0.9% from October 2024 Census. Ways to Manage Place Planning Plan page 13 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 Academic Year Primary Community School Primary Non- Community Secondary 2021/22 0 3 0 2022/23 1 0 0 2023/24 4 5 1 2024/25 1 2 0 2025/26 2 0 0 2026/27 0 1 0 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 scho ol – 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. 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 schools but are hoping to open additional specialist provision over the next few years to meet growing demand. Capped PANs In addition to the permanent reductions in PANs shown above, in consultation with schools, temporary reductions or ‘caps’ can also be implemented. Capping a school’s PAN is a measure which seeks to alleviate some of the logistical and financial difficultie s associated with low or falling rolls. Capping is undertaken on the understanding that , should there be a sudden influx of pupils that cannot be placed, schools are expected to admit up to the Published Admission Number if needed. Federating a Governing Body At a time of increasing school autonomy, the need for schools to work collaboratively is greater than ever. There are a variety of ways schools can do this, from informal partnerships to more formal arrangements involving shared governance. This provides economies of scale for both Plan page 14 (or more) schools, as they are able to share resources and assets along with best practice across the sites. In England, Council-maintained schools have the option of becoming a federation, in which the separate s chools’ governing bodies become a single governing body with responsibility for all the schools in the federation. The London Borough of Hillingdon currently has one federated governing body within the Borough. Two previous federated governing bodies have since successfully amalgamated their Infant and Junior Schools to become a Primary school. Amalgamations The Council believes that the amalgamation of linked Infant and Junior schools is a positive way to develop, and this will help to create and maintain successful, sustainable, and viable Schools. The Council recognises that the education landscape is ever -changing, and this needs to be taken into account along with the individual circumstances of schools. The Council has ten Infant, and ten Junior Schools within the Borough, all of whom could benefit from amalgamating and becoming primary schools. Four schools successfully amalgamated to become primary schools in September 2021. Infant and junior schools can be particularly vulnerable to financial and organisation al pressures as they only have less year groups to deploy their teaching staff , and less opportunity to share resources across the school. The Governing Board of Grange Park Junior School and the Londo n Borough of Hillingdon, with the support of the Governing Board of Grange Park Nursery and Infant School, are consulting in the Spring term of 2025 on a proposal for the two schools to amalgamate to form a single three-form entry foundation primary school for children aged 3 to 11 years with effect from 1st September 2025. The Council is also engaged in conversations with other Infant and Junior schools across the Borough in relation to potential future amalgamations. For more information on the process of school amalgamations within Hillingdon maintained schools please refer to Hillingdon schools’ amalgamation policy. Marketing the school Schools have the ability to influence parental opinions or choice, in a range of matters including Ofsted inspections or other matters unrelated to education. It is important that schools engage with the wider community and publicise the positive news about their provision and achievements to prospective families and others. There are range of ways this can happen, and includes:  Greater social media presence – Twitter/Instagram  School Fairs / Open days / Events  Target and engage with feeder schools or settings across the area to promote the school  Local media  Active engagement with the community, and offer the school premises for events and activities  Opportunities to showcase the school and the pupils to celebrate achievements Vacant Caretaker Properties Plan page 15 Hillingdon has already actively identi fied vacant properties across the Borough that are suitable for teaching children and young people. This is often creating additional provision for children with SEND , who require smaller class sizes, and a higher ratio of staff to children, which is ideal for this type of building. The future of any of these buildings will be considered and reviewed as necessary. Closures The Department for Education guidance on school closures includes a presumption not to close. All options will have been exhausted to avoid school closure although ultimately, where there is no alternative long-term option, this may have to be considered. As a very last resort and in line with population statistics we may have to consider school closures in the future where it is in the best interests of children to do so and by meeting the relevant legislation and statutory guidance. Satellite Provision Satellite provision is needed when a school requires additional space at another site in order to admit more children on their roll. This can support other schools by using their vacant spaces, and supplement their income, and also encourage collaboration and partnership working to improve efficiency and best practice . There are currently 2 examples of this in Hillingdon. Bulge Classes A bulge class is an additional class added to a Primary or Secondary school to cope with additional demand for school places , normally in a particular area . The Council plans for a small oversupply of places in all year groups in order to provide a level of flexibility with in- year places that may be required. This allows for: • growth between January and July • unexpected growth above forecast levels • new arrivals to Hillingdon above those forecast to arrive • some pupil movement between schools to satisfy parental preference, or to meet the needs of children and young people 3.2 Childcare and Early Education The Council has a statutory duty (contained in the Childcare Act 2006 and 2016) to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that there are sufficient childcare places to ensure that families can:  access the funded early education entitlements for their child  take up, or remain in work  undertake education or training, which could reasonably lead to work Delivery of early learning and childcare provision in Hillingdon is through a mixed market of private and voluntary providers, including childminders, day nurseri es and pre -schools, and through schools, including academies. Hillingdon has:  181 registered childminders  57 school-based nurseries  144 Private Voluntary and Independent (PVI) settings  1 Council-maintained nursery school Five schools have consulted to change their age range to be able to offer funded places to eligible children from the term after their second birthday. For 2 of the schools this took effect Plan page 16 September 2024 and for the other 3 this will take effect from September 2025. A further primary school has completed a consultation recently to lower their age range and another school is also considering making this change. Provision of early education and childcare is vital for the local economy, and for developing stronger communities. The support delivered to Nursery settings in Hillingdon ensures that children are school ready when they move into statutory education and are best placed to achieve a Good Level of Development at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The Council aims to ensure that all children have access to provision that is ‘Good’ or better, which is the case for 100% of group care settings that have been inspected up to August 2024 (data source: ’Childcare providers and inspections as of 3 1st August 2024 ’). Support for settings to improve is provided by the Early Years Quality Improvement Team, who provide training and support to settings on a range of pedagogical and curriculum -based topics. Ongoing support is focused on settings being confident to demonstra te their knowledge and understanding of the EYFS and next steps for children’s learning. Planned Growth The childcare market remains relatively stable, and the Council receives regular enquiries from group childcare providers interested in establishing new or additional provision within the Borough, albeit that the availability of suitable premises remains the biggest hurdle to new providers in establishing their business. Where a provider ceases to operate, a new or alternative provider frequently opens in their place, ensuring the sufficiency of childcare for the local community. However, there are wards in the Borough where sufficiency of early years childcare remains a challenge, and the Families’ Information Service continues to work with group childcare providers, childminders, and school nurseries to increase provision in response to rising demand. This varies according to the age of children and the type of funded en titlement that children are eligible for. For example, the Wards where there are the biggest shortfalls in funded childcare for disadvantaged two-year-olds, are Charville, Harefield Village, Heathrow Villages, Hillingdon East and Wood End. For children whose parents qualify for the working parent’s entitlement to funded childcare, the Wards with the biggest challenge for insufficient funded childcare are Colham & Cowley, Hayes Town, Harefield Village, Heathrow Villages, Pinkwell, Uxbridge and Wood End. 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. The Council will continue to engage with all new and existing childcare Providers, including Childminders, schools, and private nursery settings , to ensure we are able to provide sufficient places for all children across Hillingdon. As detailed earlier, the live birth rate in Hillingdon has fallen in the last 5 years and is projected to stabilise at this lower level over the next 2-3 years. However, parents’ entitlement to funded childcare for 2-year-olds increased from April 2024, with working families now entitled to up to 15 funded hours of childcare per week, over 38 weeks a year. This entitlement was extended to children from nine months old, from September 2024. Families must meet eligibility criteria to qualify, and children can only receive funded childcare from the term after they are nine months old. In September 2025, this entitlement expands to offer up to 30 hours funded childcare a week, for 38 weeks a year, for eligible children. Plan page 17 In response to the expected increased demand, additional places will be needed, although it is expected that some existing childcare places will convert from family funded provision, to provision that is partly paid by the Council and partly paid by families. The Council are working with settings to understand what the full impact of the se changes is likely to be and will look for appropriate solutions and additional capacity in response , especially for children aged under two years old. This will include:  working with existing providers to look at expansion or opening new settings  promoting the childcare sector to prospective childminders  supporting the government early years recruitment campaign 3.3 Primary Place Planning In Hillingdon, the statutory duty to plan school places (for Reception to year 11) is undertaken by assessing places in pupil planning areas (PPAs) . The Council has a duty to provide a “reasonable offer” of a school place to all children. In the primary phase, a “reasonable offer” is one that is within 2 miles of home. Hillingdon uses 14 PPAs which are b roadly based on Hillingdon’s electoral ward boundaries. By dividing the Borough into 14 primary planning areas, Officers can ensure that places are provided near to where children live. However, children can travel across planning areas to attend school, particularly when they live close to the borders. The table below outlines the number of schools in each area, and Appendix 5 shows which schools are within each planning area. Table 6. Planning Areas Planning Area Number Number of Schools PPA 1 2 PPA 2 5 PPA 3 6 PPA 4 2 PPA 5 10 PPA6 7 PPA7 5 PPA8 5 PPA9 4 PPA10 3 PPA11 9 PPA12 3 PPA13 2 PPA14 5 The forecast for the Borough of Hillingdon is below, and forecasts are shown by Planning Area and set out in Appendix 6. These planning areas provide the basis for the annual DfE School Capacity (SCAP) return submitted in the Summer term that determines the level of grant funding the Council is allocated. They are groups of schools, defined by geography and Plan page 18 admissions patterns, wherein a sufficiency of places across the group will generally ensure every child can access a local school place (even if some schools are oversubscribed). School Place Planning and Admissions Officers liaise with schools individually and collectively to discuss current demand for places, future demand for places and any projects that need to be completed to ensure there are sufficient school places. Officers from the team also engage with planning authorities, local councillors, residents and communities, faith groups, developers, and Central Government. Primary Projections Applications on National Offer Day for Reception in 2024 were 345 places less than projected, although some of th is gap is likely to be filled by late applications. Approximately half of our primary phase schools are full, currently. Surplus places have risen overall but are expected to stabilize over the next few years. Surplus places are often concentrated in a small number of primary schools across the Borough. Officers are working closely with primary schools regarding the large number of surplus places due to PAN reductions and continu e to monitor other schools that may also have surplus capacity in the next few years. These reductions will be managed in line with the options in the strategy outlined above. Reception Pupil Forecast – The London Borough of Hillingdon Table 7. Reception Pupil Forecast for the London Borough of Hillingdon Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -97 +4 +98 -109 +49 -27 -27 Reception Surplus 596 562 464 573 524 551 578 “Reception Pupil Forecast” shows the year -on-year change in projections e.g., for the whole Borough, 2024/25’s reception projection is 97 pupils lower than the 2023/24 census actuals. “Reception Surplus” has been added to show the expected number of vacant school places against the approved PAN for each year. “Number on Roll” is using January Census actuals for 2023/24, and projections for future years. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 3,761 23/24 26,820 24/25 3,664 24/25 26,587 25/26 3,668 25/26 26,275 26/27 3,766 26/27 26,095 27/28 3,657 27/28 25,751 28/29 3,706 28/29 25,456 29/30 3,679 29/30 25,181 30/31 3,652 30/31 24,905 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Plan page 19 3.4 Secondary Place Planning Secondary aged children are expected to travel longer distances to school. A reasonable offer for a secondary place is one that is within 3 miles of home. However, secondary planning areas allow the Council to understand localised pressures for schools and where additional places would help more children attend a school near to where they live. However, this must be balanced with any resource implications. The October 2024 census shows a fall in secondary numbers for the first time since 2014 (225 less than October 2023). In general, year 7 admissions are beginning to slow, but pressure in this phase still remains as some schools are currently accommodating bulge classes. There is also a higher number of pupils in years 10-11 due to a combination of in-year admissions, and the additional capacity for those year groups in two studio colleges and two UTC schools which attract pupils from out of Borough. The Year 7 roll in October 202 4 was 64 above the number of offers made on National Offer Day. This is primarily due to pupils at Guru Nanak Sikh Academy (an all-through school) aging through from year 6 to 7 without needing to apply for a place. Preferences for Year 7 in September 2024 and actions National Offer Day was 1st March 2024, and although most secondary school pupils attend a school two miles from home or nearer, some pupils choose to travel further including in and out of the Borough. In 2024, 541 Hillingdon residents were offered Out of Borough schools , which is 4 more than 2023. The Council use two different metrics: a. Ensuring every resident pupil has a school place – increasing the supply of places in schools in the Borough if necessary. b. The proportion of resident pupils gaining one of their top preferences – which includes them securing places in out of Borough schools. The council received 3,576 secondary school applications for September 2024, and ninety- five per cent of pupils were offered one of their preferred places, which is the same as 2023. Hillingdon also achieved slightly higher than the London average for applicants offered one of their top three preference schools at 89.45 per cent, compared to London's 89.26 per cent. From those, 69.37 per cent of Hillingdon pupils received their first choice. Secondary projections Parental choice fills most secondary schools but leaves capacity in some schools underutilised. Some of this capacity can be further than 3 miles away from the pupils’ homes who require a place and may mean that children need to travel further to access a place. This complicates the process of pupil place planning as projections can assume all places are equally full and popular which is not the case for all schools. This demonstrates the need for analysis at a PPA level to ensure a true reflection of demand, and ensure pupils have a school place close to home where possible. The tables below show the most recent projections, with secondary pupil numbers (including sixth form) continuing to rise to a peak in 202 5/26 before starting to fall. It is best practice to retain additional capacity between 5% - 10% during the year to support any transition and movement of pupils, therefore the LA aim to provide a surplus in line with above parameters. Plan page 20 Year 7 Pupil Forecast – The London Borough of Hillingdon Table 8. Year 7 Pupil Forecast for the London Borough of Hillingdon Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 +/- -9 -43 +15 -11 -71 -94 -85 Year 7 Surplus 179 162 147 158 229 323 408 The actual number of offers made to schools in the Borough on 202 4 National Offer Day (including to pupils with EHCPs) was 3,710, slightly below the overall PAN, and the latest projections. However, we expect late applications, and in-year admissions will add to this and as a result, 60 extra Year 7 places were added by schools to allow offers within a reasonable distance for places in September 2024. Secondary rolls are far less linked to locality than primary, and more to parent’s preferences and perception of the education experience, high standards, faith, and their willingness to travel to a school of choice. Each year, we review the projections, school census data and national offer day data to check and understand where projections are most accurate. Although the current forecast is for a reduction in surplus capacity in the short term, the longer- term forecast is a continued reduction after 2027 / 28 as you can see from the table above . We continue to work with schools to ensure we are able to meet our statutory duties, and the demand for places , and ensure that schools remain financially viable during this time of fluctuating demand. 3.5 Post 16 Planning The Education and Skills Act 2008 applies to any person who has ceased to be of compulsory school age, has not reached the age of 18, and has not attained a level 3 qualification. The Council works in partnership with schools , stakeholders and the local Further Education colleges to ensure young people aged 16-18 (and up to the age of 25 for those who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)) have access to a range of opportunities to continue their education or training at a wide range o f post -16 providers , apprenticeships, and supported internships. The total number of young people aged 16 to 18 are in Education, Employment and Training is 7570. In September 2025, a new provision will be opening at Barr a Hall in Uxbridge, which was acquired by Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges (HRUC) and will cater for young people who have Severe or Moderate Learning Difficulties (SLD or MLD) which was identified as a Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 3,612 23/24 22,430 24/25 3,603 24/25 22,724 25/26 3,560 25/26 22,944 26/27 3,575 26/27 22,931 27/28 3,564 27/28 22,801 28/29 3,493 28/29 22,669 29/30 3,399 29/30 22,343 30/31 3,314 30/31 21,961 Number on Roll (Year 7 only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Plan page 21 gap in provision in Hillingdon. HRUC’s partnerships with Heathrow will provide great pathways for supported internship opportunities as well as industry insight for young people with SEND. In partnership with HRUC we also saw the launch of the Vocational Carousel which saw 55 young people between the ages of 14 -16 take part i n a 1 day a week 6 week programme , allowing them to experience a post 16 provision, and open up opportunities when they finish Year 11 education. This programme has also been listed in the new (RONI) Risk of NEET indicator guidance by the DfE. The Council is developing its post 16 offer for young people with additional needs through a variety of strategies:  A newly created Post 16 transition guidance document with RONI indicator tool which helps schools identify the risk of NEET cohorts.  A Post 16 SEND pathways information sheet created by our very own supported interns working within the Council.  A Post 16 prospectus that now includes every special school available, to show young people with SEND the varying provisions, as well as a host load of videos to support their understanding.  A preparing for adulthood document which is clear and will align with the local offer. Through the 14–19-year-old steering group, headteachers agreed that NEET prevention and vocational pathways for 14–16-year-olds were directions that the Borough should take. This group will continue to develop solutions during the coming year for this identified priority. Following the success of our 14-19 steering group we have seen the following:  Vocational Carousel  GCSE results hub  ELEVATE mentoring supporting 3 schools.  Hillingdon Connect Programme delivered by SPARK! Supporting 25 vulnerable young people across secondary and college. 3.6 Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) - Special Schools & Alternative Provision There are two community special schools and five academy special schools in Hillingdon, all of which are full, as demand is high. The largest growth in demand is for pupils with Autism Spectrum Conditions, many with additional complex secondary needs. The Council also use Independent Non-Maintained Special Schools (INMSS) to educate a number of pupils, where their needs cannot be met within our own special schools. The majority of these are within the Borough, but some children and young people travel outside the Borough for specialised provision. The Council have been working very hard to reduce the number of chi ldren in INMSS provision and ensure that local state-funded provision is available. This has resulted in additional local capacity being planned and provided to meet the needs of these children and young people, including additional special school places, and specialist provision within mainstream schools. However, it will take time for the current cohort pupils to transition from their current INMSS provision which will remain under review. Plan page 22 SEND & AP Strategy 2023-28 The Hillingdon Local Area SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy for CYP with SEND sets out key priorities for the next 3 years in developing further new, ambitious, and innovative specialist provision that meets the need of Hillingdon CYP locally . Within the new strategy there are five Ambitions that focus on early intervention, inclusion, SEND sufficiency, post 16 provision and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, as well as on Alternative Provision. The Council’s SEND governance structure has been redesigned to reflect these , and new Ambition Groups have been created to ensure progress on outcomes. The Ambition Group 3 has a specific focus on specialist provision and monitors the progress of all new developments as well as managing any changes required in existing specialist provision to make it sustainable and to meet the current and future demand. The intended outcomes of this group are:  The proportion of children with EHCPs in mainstream and SEND schools is in line with national.  Children who require specialist provision are placed without delay in appropriate local provision.  Children and young people and their families are positive about their experiences of the SEND provision in Hillingdon and tell us the services are meeting their needs.  Review of banding is completed through co-production with stakeholders and a new model created which is fit for purpose long term, ensures equity, and supports children appropriately in all settings.  The number of placements in SRPs increases, developing areas of expertise and outstanding practice across the borough.  Mainstream settings access outreach support from local SEND schools to further develop outstanding inclusive practice.  Alternative Provision in Borough meets needs and is used effectively to improve outcomes by supporting transition back into mainstream at the earliest opportunity.  A reduction in SEND transport demand as more children will be attending their local school As most of the new specialist provision has been created within the primary sector our next step is to develop a continuum of support through to secondary provision, with additional Specialist Resource Provision’s (SRP’s) and Designated Unit’s (DU’s). Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit recovery safety valve agreement Hillingdon Council is one of the many Local Authorities that have successfully secured a Safety Valve agreement with the DfE. This is as a result of the deficit in the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) Hi gh Needs block, which funds SEND provision for children an d young people in Hillingdon. Rising demand and costs have put pressure on the DSG and the LA has developed a DSG Deficit Recovery Programme following the ‘safety valve’ agreement which has supported revenue and capital funding required for the Borough. Ensuring there is appropriate provision to meet Hillingdon’s children and young people’s needs is a key strategic priority for the Council, underpinned by sufficient resource and capability to ensure timely and successful delivery. The purpose of the recovery plan is to:  Put mainstream inclusion and high-quality SEND services at the heart of education in Hillingdon Plan page 23  Reduce total costs of specialist placements  Add more local maintained specialist places in the Borough in line with the needs of our children and young people  Embed financial sustainability Extra specialist places are being developed in Hillingdon in the next few years to meet the rising demand, to minimise use of independent provision and longer travel times for children and young people. The aim is to maximise the use of local maintained education spaces and promote integration of pupils into mainstream where possible. Projects selected have been delivered in partnership with schools and academies that have surplus physical capacity and have commitment to inclusion and expertise in managing change. Hillingdon’s SEND Context Graph 3. Sen Support % and Sen EHCP Support % by Census Return Children with SEND Support and EHCPs in mainstream have increased term on term since we launched the strategy. In Autumn 2023 . 11.8% of our children and young people in mainstream settings were receiving SEND Support , and 2.5% of our children and young people in mainstream settings were in receipt of an EHCP. In Autumn 2024, 12 .2% were in receipt of SEND Support, up by 0.4%, and 2.8% were in receipt of an EHCP in mainstream schools, up by 0. 3%. This evidences that more children and young people on SEN Support and with EHCPs are being educated in mainstream schools. There is still a significant difference between primary and secondary SEND children attending mainstream schools across the borough – primary children with EHCPs are currently at 3% and secondary is 2.5%. Table 9. Changes in SEND Support and EHCP levels in mainstream schools (based on Autumn census data for each year): 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 SEN Support SEN EHCP SEN Support SEN EHCP SEN Support SEN EHCP Primary Phase 11.8% 2.4% 13.0% 2.6% 13.4% 3.0% Secondary Phase 9.1% 2.2% 10.3% 2.3% 10.7% 2.5% All Through School 7.5% 1.5% 7.8% 1.9% 8.4% 2.2% Mainstream Total 10.6% 2.3% 11.8% 2.5% 12.2% 2.8% Plan page 24 EHCPs Maintained by Hillingdon : As of October 2024, there are 3,452 EHCPs, a 3% increase since January 2020. This number fluctuates due to various factors, including pupils moving in and out of the borough (internal SEND data) EHCPs in Hillingdon Schools : A s of October 2024, there are 2, 548 pupils with EHCPs attending Hillingdon schools, a 32.1% increase since October 2020. Of these, 44.1% are in special schools, and 19.6% of pupils in Hillingdon special schools are from other local authorities. (October census data) EHCP Growth: There has been a 40% increase in EHCPs maintained by Hillingdon since January 2020, with a recent slowdown in year-on-year growth to 4.6% in January 2024. (SEN2 data 2024) SEN Support: As of October 2024, 11.9% of Hillingdon pupils receive SEN support, below the national average of 13.6% (from DfE Census publication - “Schools, pupils and their characteristics”: Jan 2024). EHCP Prevalence: As of October 2024, 4.8% of pupils in Hillingdon schools have an EHCP, matching the national average but below the London average of 5.1 % (from DfE Census publication - “Schools, pupils and their characteristics”: Jan 2024). Primary Need of Autism: The number of pupils with autism as their primary need has almost doubled from 976 in January 2019 , to 1,915 in January 2024 , and currently remains the highest need in the borough. (internal SEN data 2019 v SEN2 data 2024) Special vs. Mainstream Schools: As of January 2024, 37.3% of EHCP pupils from Hillingdon attend special schools, higher than the national average of 33.8%. Meanwhile, 52.4% are in mainstream schools, below the national average of 56.3%. (SEN2 data 2024) Graph 4. Hillingdon Residents with EHCPs – Actuals and 2 3/24-based Projections (based on January data each year) Plan page 25 Many of the pupils with new EHCPs require a specialist place, and at the Phase Transfer in February 2024 (transfer to Reception, Year 3, and Year 7), 48% of this cohort were placed at specialist provision. The majority of primary need was Autis tic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) but many of the pupils had a complex combination of needs . Other London Councils (and Council’s nationally) are experiencing similar incr eases, as parents and schools request assessments and more pupils are diagnosed with complex issues soon after birth. Special schools have expanded but the demand from resident pupils requiring specialist provision continues to grow , ahead of the planned e xpansions, new schools , and other specialist provision that opened in 2024. It is clear that in addition to supporting more pupils to remain within mainstream settings, additional specialist provision capacity must be added , including SRPs and DUs. This will ensure that less pupils will need to be placed out of Borough from Reception onwards. Diagram 1. A Spectrum of Provision As you can see in the diagram above, there is a graduated approach to the structure of our education provision, starting with mainstream school for the overwhelming majority of pupils, and reaches specialist provision for pupils with the most complex needs. It is expected that pupils will access the level of educational provisio n that best meets their individual needs, which are assessed and reviewed regularly by a range of professionals. SRPs and DUs provide additional specialist facilities on a mainstream school site for a small number of pupils. In an SRP pupils spend most of their time in mainstream classes whereas pupils in a DU spend the majority of their time outside mainstream classes , only attending them for a few lessons. There are 221 specialist places across the 1 Early Years Assessment Base, 15 SRP’s, and 2 DU’s, with 159 places in primary and 62 places in secondary, to meet the needs of pupils requiring some specialist support and therapies. Current Position Below are several tables to explain the type of special schools within Hillingdon, and the number of pupils by year group. We are able to meet a range of needs across the schools, and there is a mix of Community and Academy schools. There is only 1 special school that can accommodate primary and secondary pupils,

Appendices Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms Primary Needs:  ASC/ASD: Autism Spectrum Condition/Disorder/Autism  SEMH: Social, Emotional and Mental Health  HI: Hearing Impairment  MLD: Moderate Learning Difficulties  MSI: Multi-Sensory Impairment  PD: Physical Difficulties  PMLD: Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties  SLD: Severe Learning Difficulties  SLCN: Speech, Language and Communication Needs  VI: Visual Impairment Broad Categories of SEND:  Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMH): Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways. These may include becoming withdrawn or isolated, as well as displaying challenging, disruptive, or dist urbing behaviour. These behaviours may reflect underlying mental health difficulties such as anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children and young people may ha ve disorders such as attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder or attachment disorder.  Sensory and/or physical needs: Some children and young people require special educational provision because they have a disability that prevent s or hinders them from making use of the educational facilities generally provided in a mainstream setting. This includes pupils with visual impairment (VI), hearing impairment (HI) or a multi-sensory impairment (MSI) who are likely to require specialist s upport and/or equipment to access their learning or support. It also includes those with a severe physical disability (PD).  Cognition and Learning: Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulties (MLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD) - where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and have associated difficulties with mobility and communication - through to profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). Children with PMLD are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment. This range of needs also includes specific learning difficulties (SpLD), which encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia.  Communication and Interaction: Children and young people with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) have difficulty in communicating with others. They may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language, or social communication at different times of their lives. This area includes those children and young people with autism who also are likely to have difficulties with social interaction, and with language, communication, and imagination, which can impact on how they relate to others. Other Terms or Acronyms:  Academy: Schools controlled and funded directly by the Secretary of State for Education and include academies, free schools, UTC schools, studio schools, academy special schools, alternative provision academies and academy boarding schools.  Alternative Provision: Education arranged by Local Authorities for pupils who because of exclusion, illness, or other reasons, would not otherwise receive suitable education; education arranged by pupils on a fixed period exclusion; and pupils being directed by schools to off-site provision to improve behaviour.  DfE: Department for Education is the national body responsible for education, children’s services, higher and further education policy.  EHCP: An EHCP details the education, health and social care support that is to be provided to a child or young person who has SEN or a disability. It is drawn up by the Council after an EHC needs assessment of the child or young person has determined that an EHC plan is necessary, and after consultation with relevant partner agencies.  ESFA: Education and Skills Funding Agency (formerly EFA): national body responsible for school funding, delivering Free Schools and monitoring academies.  EYFSP: Early Years Foundation Stage  EYQT: Early Years Quality Improvement Team  FE: Form of Entry, this describes a Reception class of 30 pupils and the seven classrooms that are needed for the class to work their way through the school  GLA: Greater London Authority  LA: Local Authority  LBH: London Borough of Hillingdon  Mainstream School: School provision other than special schools, hospital schools, alternative provision, i.e., mainstream community schools, voluntary -aided, trust, foundation, or grammar schools.  Maintained School: A school that is funded by a local education authority.  NOR: Number on roll, this is a count of the number of pupils in an educational facility.  PAN: Published Admission Number  PRU: Pupil Referral Unit also known as Alternative Provision for those not willing or able to attend mainstream school for a short period or long term.  RSC: Regional Schools Commissioner acts on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education and is responsible for intervening when academies or sponsors are underperforming, arranging sponsors for new academies, and advising on new free schools.  PVI: Private Voluntary and Independent Nurseries  SCAP: School Capacity Survey, is an annual return by SBC to the ESFA to explain projected shortfalls in school places. SEND and PRU places are not captured in this return  SEND: Special Education Needs and Disabilities, refers to pupils with an EHCP, these pupils will attend a mainstream school possibly in a Resourced Unit or a Special School  Specialist Resource Provision (SRP): Are special provisions within a mainstream school where the children are taught mainly within separate classes.  Special School: A school which is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with SEND. Appendix 2 – Breakdown of Academy Trusts Appendix 3 – Definitions of Types of School Maintained Schools - overseen by the LA: Community - the Council owns the buildings and determines admission arrangements. Foundation - the governing body owns the school buildings, employs the staff and determines their own admission arrangements. Voluntary Aided - a Trust or diocesan body own the building, employ the staff, and determine their own admission arrangements. Non-maintained schools - independent from the local council: Academies - the Trust owns or has a long lease on their site, they operate under a Funding Agreement with the Government and can follow a different curriculum. Free Schools - schools that have opened as new academies, rather than being converted to an academy from a maintained school. A free school is still an academy and is funded and controlled in the same way as other academies. Other schools Independent - private schools (independent from the local council) where parents pay for the cost of their child’s place. Appendix 4 - School PAN Numbers by Type The tables below give a list of primary, secondary, and special schools respectively, and their Published Admission Numbers (PANs) or Commissioned Places for the academic year 2024/25. Primary and Infant Schools – Published Admissions Number 2024/25 School Published Admissions Number (PAN) Belmore Primary Academy 90 Bishop Winnington-Ingram CofE Primary School 30 Botwell House Catholic Primary School 90 Bourne Primary School 30 Brookside Primary School 60 Charville Academy 60 Cherry Lane Primary School 90 Colham Manor Primary School 90 Coteford Infant School 60 Cowley St Laurence CE Primary School 60 Cranford Park Academy 120 Deanesfield Primary School 90 Dr Triplett's CofE Primary School 60 Field End Infant School 90 Frithwood Primary School 60 Glebe Primary School 90 Grange Park Infant and Nursery School 90 Guru Nanak Sikh Academy 60 Harefield Infant School 60 Harlyn Primary School 60 Harmondsworth Primary School 30 Hayes Park School 90 Heathrow Primary School 60 Hermitage Primary School 60 Hewens Primary School 60 Highfield Primary School 60 Hillingdon Primary School 90 Hillside Infant School 60 Holy Trinity CofE Primary School 30 John Locke Academy 90 Lady Bankes Primary School 90 Lake Farm Park Academy 90 Laurel Lane Primary School 60 Minet Nursery and Infant School 120 Nanaksar Primary School 120 Newnham Infant and Nursery School 90 Oak Farm Primary School 90 Pinkwell Primary School 90 Rabbsfarm Primary School 90 Rosedale Primary School 60 Ruislip Gardens Primary School 60 Ryefield Primary School 60 Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School 90 St Andrew's CofE Primary School 30 St Bernadette Catholic Primary School 60 St Catherine Catholic Primary School 30 St Martin's Church of England Primary School 60 St Mary's Catholic Primary School 30 St Matthew's CofE Primary School 60 St Swithun Wells' Catholic Primary School 30 The Breakspear School 90 Warrender Primary School 60 West Drayton Academy 90 Whitehall Infant School 120 Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School 90 William Byrd Academy 90 Wood End Park Academy 120 Yeading Infant and Nursery School 120 TOTAL 4,260 Junior Schools – Published Admissions Number 2024/25 School Published Admissions Number (PAN) Coteford Junior School 81 Field End Junior School 90 Grange Park Junior School 90 Harefield Junior School 60 Hillside Junior School 60 Minet Junior School 120 Newnham Junior School 90 Whitehall Junior School 120 Whiteheath Junior School 90 Yeading Junior School 128 TOTAL 929 Secondary schools – Published Admission Numbers 2024/25 - excluding bulge classes School Published Admissions Number (PAN) Barnhill Community High School 240 Bishop Ramsey Church of England School 186 Bishopshalt School 186 The Douay Martyrs Catholic School 240 Guru Nanak Sikh Academy 180 Harefield Academy 90 Harlington School 240 Haydon School 300 Hewens College 120 Northwood School 180 Oak Wood School 240 Park Academy West London 180 Queensmead School 240 Rosedale College 180 Ruislip High School 210 Swakeleys School for Girls 240 Uxbridge High School 230 Vyners School 240 Total Places 3,722 Special schools – Planned Place Numbers 2024/25 School School Type Designated Need Commissioned Places Grangewood School Academy SLD/PMLD/MSI 131 Hedgewood School Community MLD/ASD 190 Meadow High School Community MLD (Complex) 280 Moorcroft School Academy SLD/PMLD/MSI 141 Pentland Field School Academy MLD/ASD 162 Willows School Academy Trust Academy SEMH/MLD/ASD 60 The PRIDE Academy SEMH 110 Total Places 1,074 Specialist Resource Provision/Designated Unit – Planned Place Numbers 2024/25 School School Type Designated Need Commissioned Places Primary Hayes Park School SRP Foundation ASD 13 Coteford Infant School SRP Community PD 3 Coteford Junior School SRP Academy PD 7 Deanesfield Primary School SRP Community SLCN 8 Pinkwell Primary SRP Academy SLCN 10 Glebe Primary SRP Community HI 11 Cherry Lane Primary SRP Community ASD 10 Lake Farm Park Primary SRP Academy ASD 13 St Martin's CE Primary SRP Academy ASD 12 Charville Academy SRP Academy ASD 16 Ruislip Gardens Primary School SRP Community ASD 16 Ruislip Gardens Primary School Assessment Centre Community All 16 Wood End Park Academy DU Academy ASD 24 Secondary Oak Wood School SRP Foundation ASD 12 Harlington School SRP Foundation Physical and Sensory Disabilities 6 Harlington School DU Foundation ASD 16 Northwood SRP Academy SLCN 10 Vyners SRP Academy HI 18 Total Places 221 Appendix 5 – Schools by Planning Area Planning Area Number Schools within Planning Area Number of Schools PPA 1 Harefield Infant School & Harefield Junior School 2 PPA 2 Frithwood Primary School, Harlyn Primary School, Hillside Infant School, Hillside Junior School & Holy Trinity CofE Primary School 5 PPA 3 Bishop Winnington-Ingram CofE Primary School, Coteford Infant School, Coteford Junior School, Warrender Primary School, Whiteheath Infant and Nursery School & Whiteheath Junior School 6 PPA 4 Glebe Primary School & The Breakspear School 2 PPA 5 Bourne Primary School, Deanesfield Primary School, Field End Infant School, Field End Junior School, Lady Bankes Primary School, Newnham Infant and Nursery School, Newnham Junior School, Ruislip Gardens Primary School, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School & St Swithun Wells' Catholic Primary School 10 PPA 6 Cowley St Laurence CE Primary School, Hermitage Primary School, John Locke Academy, St Andrew's CofE Primary School, St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whitehall Infant School & Whitehall Junior School 7 PPA 7 Highfield Primary School, Hillingdon Primary School, Oak Farm Primary School, Ryefield Primary School & St Bernadette Catholic Primary School 5 PPA 8 Charville Academy, Grange Park Infant and Nursery School, Grange Park Junior School, Hayes Park School & Hewens Primary School 5 PPA 9 Belmore Primary Academy, Brookside Primary School, Yeading Infant and Nursery School & Yeading Junior School 4 PPA 10 Colham Manor Primary School, Rabbsfarm Primary School & St Matthew's CofE Primary School 3 PPA 11 Botwell House Catholic Primary School, Dr Triplett's CofE Primary School, Guru Nanak Sikh Academy, Lake Farm Park Academy, Minet Nursery and Infant School, Minet Junior School, Nanaksar Primary School, Rosedale Primary School & Wood End Park Academy 9 PPA 12 Cranford Park Academy, Pinkwell Primary School & William Byrd Academy 3 PPA 13 Harmondsworth Primary School & Heathrow Primary School 2 PPA 14 Cherry Lane Primary School, Laurel Lane Primary School, St Catherine Catholic Primary School, St Martin's Church of England Primary School & West Drayton Academy 5 Appendix 6 – Forecasting by Planning Area Forecasting by Planning Areas The following sections include the school place forecasts at a planning area level from the SCAP 24 submission. The map illustrates the 14 primary planning areas within the London Borough of Hillingdon followed by forecasts for the North and South of the Borough for secondary schools. “Reception Pupil Forecast” shows the year-on-year change in projections. “Reception Surplus” has been added to show the expected number of vacant school places against the approved PAN for each year. “Number on Roll” is using January Census actuals for 202 3/24, and projections for future years. Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 1 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- +10 -1 +3 -2 +1 -1 0 Reception Surplus 14 15 12 14 13 14 14 Harefield Infant School & Harefield Junior School 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 an infant and junior school which must have sufficient capacity to meet local demand. The year groups fluctuate, and this has caused both schools budget and class management problems. A PAN reduction to 60 took effect in September 2023 to reflect the size of most year groups. This ensures that all local and sibling demand can be met and give the school and its pupils stability. Some of the current roll are not local but travel in long distances, using the school for convenience as it is near parental work Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 36 23/24 357 24/25 46 24/25 359 25/26 45 25/26 349 26/27 48 26/27 355 27/28 46 27/28 354 28/29 47 28/29 349 29/30 46 29/30 341 30/31 46 30/31 339 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 2 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -2 -12 +4 -4 +3 -2 0 Reception Surplus 18 30 26 30 27 29 29 Frithwood Primary School, Harlyn Primary School, Hillside Infant School, Hillside Junior School & Holy Trinity CofE Primary School This PPA is affected by fluctuating demand and has experienced a trend of decline in numbers since 2016. PAN reductions in 2 of the 5 schools took place with effect from September 2023. Projections show stable rolls going forward within this revised PAN. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 194 23/24 1,364 24/25 192 24/25 1,365 25/26 180 25/26 1,346 26/27 184 26/27 1,326 27/28 180 27/28 1,299 28/29 183 28/29 1,292 29/30 181 29/30 1,288 30/31 181 30/31 1,278 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 3 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- +2 +3 -9 -6 +2 -2 -1 Reception Surplus 26 23 32 38 36 38 39 Bishop Winnington Ingram CofE, Coteford Infant, Coteford Junior, Warrender, Whiteheath Infant & Nursery & Whiteheath Junior School Previous pressure led to the expansion of one school. Numbers had fallen suddenly in 2020/21 for one school which is 1FE, currently with 15% vacancy. Numbers have been reviewed with the proposal to reduce the PAN approved for 1 school which took effect in September 2024. There is some pupil movement between PPAs 3, 4 & 5. Therefore, securing sufficient capacity across these areas has been factored into the LA's plans. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 212 23/24 1,574 24/25 214 24/25 1,581 25/26 217 25/26 1,554 26/27 208 26/27 1,535 27/28 202 27/28 1,516 28/29 204 28/29 1,481 29/30 202 29/30 1,457 30/31 201 30/31 1,433 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 4 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -6 -2 0 -6 +2 -2 0 Reception Surplus 21 23 23 29 27 29 29 Breakspear Primary School & Glebe Primary School The two schools in this PPA have historically been popular and full as they attract applications from outside the immediate area. This area has some moves between PPA 4 and PPA 5. No changes are proposed at this point. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 165 23/24 1,192 24/25 159 24/25 1,177 25/26 157 25/26 1,155 26/27 157 26/27 1,130 27/28 151 27/28 1,094 28/29 153 28/29 1,076 29/30 151 29/30 1,064 30/31 151 30/31 1,047 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 5 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- +7 +4 -21 -18 +4 -4 -2 Reception Surplus 85 101 82 94 86 82 82 Bourne Primary School, Deanesfield Primary School, Field End Infant School, Field End Junior School, Lady Bankes Primary School, Newnham Infant and Nursery School, Newnham Junior School, Ruislip Gardens Primary School, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School & St Swithun Wells' Catholic Primary School This area has a concentration of residential development, though pupil movement is limited by geographical constraints such as RAF Northolt and major roads. Predicted demand is affected by cross-borough movement as the two largest schools are close to the border with Harrow. The cross -border movements and overlap with PPA 3 have been fully considered. It was agreed to reduce the PAN of an Infant and Junior school by 30 from September 2023. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 496 23/24 3,650 24/25 503 24/25 3,588 25/26 507 25/26 3,507 26/27 486 26/27 3,433 27/28 468 27/28 3,367 28/29 472 28/29 3,299 29/30 468 29/30 3,256 30/31 466 30/31 3,218 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 6 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -4 -5 +9 -19 +6 -2 -1 Reception Surplus 36 11 2 21 15 17 18 Cowley St Laurence CE Primary School, Hermitage Primary School, John Locke Academy, St Andrew's CofE Primary School, St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Whitehall Infant School & Whitehall Junior School This area includes Uxbridge Town Centre and a number of residential areas. One of these is the large development on the former RAF Uxbridge base which will include 1,300 new homes. Demand for places has increased and is expected to grow further as the site is developed. A new 3FE primary school opened in Septe mber 2014 but before the housing was occupied. Therefore, the school was temporarily an over-provision that filled with a significant number of applications from outside PPA 6, as Uxbridge is convenient for many parents. This has created some distortion wi th siblings from miles away, but will correct over time, and led to erratic forecasts. The area is closely monitored, as the development and sales of new homes progress. A PAN reduction has been approved for an infant/junior school of 1FE with effect from September 2025. There is expected to be sufficient capacity locally, given the spaces nearby in PPA 7. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 358 23/24 2,499 24/25 354 24/25 2,494 25/26 349 25/26 2,468 26/27 358 26/27 2,418 27/28 339 27/28 2,379 28/29 345 28/29 2,355 29/30 343 29/30 2,321 30/31 342 30/31 2,289 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 7 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- +9 -10 +7 -3 +5 -1 -2 Reception Surplus 61 71 64 67 62 63 65 Highfield Primary School, Hillingdon Primary School, Oak Farm Primary School, Ryefield Primary School & St Bernadette Catholic Primary School This is a predominantly residential area, just south of the central Uxbridge area. Demand for places has declined in two schools. 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. It is hoped that careful decisions on a few PAN reductions in these areas will have a wider stabilizing impact across all the schools in this PPA. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 290 23/24 2,215 24/25 299 24/25 2,174 25/26 289 25/26 2,142 26/27 296 26/27 2,116 27/28 293 27/28 2,084 28/29 298 28/29 2,062 29/30 297 29/30 2,032 30/31 295 30/31 2,026 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 8 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -14 +10 -1 -9 +1 -3 -2 Reception Surplus 42 41 35 44 41 41 43 Charville Academy, Grange Park Infant and Nursery School, Grange Park Junior School, Hayes Park School & Hewens Primary School Demand has slowed in the area. One Trust school did consult on reducing their PAN which took effect September 2023. The recent pattern of household moves, and of pupils travelling to schools outside their planning area across PPAs 6,7,8,9,11 is being carefully monit ored. Numbers have been reviewed and a PAN reduction of an Infant and Junior school by 1FE took effect in September 2024. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 288 23/24 2,045 24/25 274 24/25 2,016 25/26 284 25/26 1,967 26/27 283 26/27 1,934 27/28 274 27/28 1,916 28/29 275 28/29 1,881 29/30 272 29/30 1,873 30/31 270 30/31 1,851 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 9 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -23 0 +5 -10 0 -2 -2 Reception Surplus 49 49 44 54 54 56 58 Belmore Primary Academy, Brookside Primary School, Yeading Infant and Nursery School & Yeading Junior School Demand for places is being monitored. This area is adjacent to PPA 11 and to the borough of Ealing and therefore can be affected by demand for places from outside the PPA/Borough. The recent pattern of household moves, and of pupils travelling to schools outside their planning area across PPAs 6,7,8,9,11 is being carefully monitored. It is hoped that careful decisions on a few PAN reductions in these areas will have a wider stabilising impact across all the local schools. One school serving a distinct residential area, bordering Ealing, has had steadily declining rolls and has already been operating at 1FE below PAN in all year groups. The school reduced its PAN by 1FE from September 2023 to reflect this. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 244 23/24 1,664 24/25 221 24/25 1,627 25/26 221 25/26 1,590 26/27 226 26/27 1,539 27/28 216 27/28 1,500 28/29 216 28/29 1,480 29/30 214 29/30 1,450 30/31 212 30/31 1,433 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 10 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- +26 0 +16 -33 +2 -4 -3 Reception Surplus -19 -19 -35 -2 -4 0 3 Colham Manor Primary School, Rabbsfarm Primary School & St Matthew's CofE Primary School The three schools are popular and full. Forecast demand for places is expected to increase due to new housing being built in the area. We expect there are sufficient spaces in neighboring planning areas to compensate. The schools in this PPA are popular and seem insulated from the higher volatility of movements in adjoining areas. No change to the number of places is proposed at this stage but the position will be closely monitored. Admissions for September 2024 show that there are sufficient places to meet demand with a margin of vacancies for in-year fluctuations. If the forecast increase in demand does occur, there are sufficient spaces in neighbouring planning areas to meet this need. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 233 23/24 1,573 24/25 259 24/25 1,595 25/26 259 25/26 1,623 26/27 275 26/27 1,656 27/28 242 27/28 1,646 28/29 244 28/29 1,639 29/30 240 29/30 1,638 30/31 237 30/31 1,633 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 11 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -73 +20 +43 -9 +11 -1 -8 Reception Surplus 181 161 118 127 116 117 125 Botwell House Catholic Primary School, Dr Triplett's CofE Primary School, Guru Nanak Sikh Academy, Lake Farm Park Academy, Minet Nursery and Infant School, Minet Junior School, Nanaksar Primary School, Rosedale Primary School & Wood End Park Academy PPA 11 is a diverse area of the Borough, with more schools than any other. It has seen significant housing development, the new ‘Grand Union Village’ and new schools and expansion over the past decade. Nanaksar Primary (Sikh) opened with 4FE Reception entries in 2013 & 2014 but then had to suspend entries until Spring 2021. Demand in the area has remained relatively stable, with Nanaksar reopening at 4FE in Sept 2022 but struggling to attract more than 1FE of pupils. There are still external uncertainties in the size and timing of housing developments and likely child yield of new housing given the increasing business profile of the area near the Hayes Crossrail station. This PPA is central to the largest concentration of population in the borough and the largest developments 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, and borders with Ealing where there may be future housing deve lopment affecting cross border flows. Over two miles away from Nanaksar, serving a specific neighbourhood another school has had a reduction in its operating roll in the lower year groups from 5FE to 4FE. The proposal to reduce the PAN of the school took effect in September 2023. It is still the largest primary school roll, and higher than 3 secondaries. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 612 23/24 4,252 24/25 539 24/25 4,221 25/26 559 25/26 4,219 26/27 602 26/27 4,301 27/28 593 27/28 4,250 28/29 604 28/29 4,217 29/30 603 29/30 4,135 30/31 595 30/31 4,065 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 12 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- +21 +14 +31 +14 +11 +2 -1 Reception Surplus 46 32 1 -13 -24 -26 -25 Cranford Park Academy, Pinkwell Primary School & William Byrd Academy 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. This PPA borders with PPAs 11, 13 and 14 as well as Hounslow. Close monitoring will be undertaken but no further action is currently planned. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 275 23/24 1,899 24/25 254 24/25 1,896 25/26 268 25/26 1,914 26/27 299 26/27 1,965 27/28 313 27/28 2,027 28/29 324 28/29 2,052 29/30 326 29/30 2,085 30/31 325 30/31 2,082 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 13 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -8 -2 +3 -1 0 0 -2 Reception Surplus 11 13 10 11 11 11 13 Harmondsworth Primary School & Heathrow Primary School The two schools in this PPA serve distinct villages and communities, though there has been a change in the pupil population as more housing has been vacated and taken over by agencies for temporary housing. The Heathrow Airport Expansion plan could resurface in the long term. There are currently no plans for changes, but close monitoring will be maintained. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 87 23/24 584 24/25 79 24/25 563 25/26 77 25/26 552 26/27 80 26/27 541 27/28 79 27/28 534 28/29 79 28/29 523 29/30 79 29/30 518 30/31 77 30/31 507 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Reception Pupil Forecast – PPA 14 Reception Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- 0 -15 +8 -3 +1 -5 -3 Reception Surplus 59 74 66 69 68 73 76 Cherry Lane Primary School, Laurel Lane Primary School, St Catherine Catholic Primary School, St Martin's Church of England Primary School & West Drayton Academy This PPA contains a Crossrail station and has significant new housing and most of the local schools are full. A reasonable margin of capacity is needed but two schools have had declining and low rolls for some years. This PPA borders with PPA10, 12 and 13 as well as South Bucks. No further action is planned yet. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 271 23/24 1,952 24/25 271 24/25 1,931 25/26 256 25/26 1,889 26/27 264 26/27 1,846 27/28 261 27/28 1,785 28/29 262 28/29 1,750 29/30 257 29/30 1,723 30/31 254 30/31 1,704 Number on Roll (Reception only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Year 7 Pupil Forecast – SPA North Year 7 Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- +42 -6 -1 -28 -28 -38 -36 Year 7 Surplus 19 33 29 48 104 164 202 Bishop Ramsey Church of England School, The Douay Martyrs Catholic School, Harefield Academy, Haydon School, Northwood School, Queensmead School, Ruislip High School & Vyners School Rolls have stabilised at a high level, and revised projections show Year 7 intake have passed their peak, while total secondary roll will peak in Sept 2026. An 8% margin of spaces is necessary to ensure sufficient places due to parental preferences and thi s needs to be considered together with the south. All secondary schools in the north of the borough are academies, each with different admission criteria. All except one are rated good or outstanding, and all except two are over-subscribed with long waiting lists. In 2023 almost all vacancies were in two academies. There is significant movement of pupils living to the south of the A40 travelling to schools north of the A40. 28% of pupils offered a place in a school in the north are resident in the south of the borough, compared to only 2% in the opposite direction. The operation of the different admission criteria and parental preferences creates unpredictable outcomes and changing sibling links. This fluctuates and requires a margin of spaces both north and south to absorb. The Trust leading on the new secondary free school agreed in 2016/17, in Summer 2023 withdrew their application which has subsequently been agreed by the DfE. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 1,598 23/24 10,239 24/25 1,640 24/25 10,315 25/26 1,634 25/26 10,428 26/27 1,633 26/27 10,394 27/28 1,605 27/28 10,341 28/29 1,577 28/29 10,317 29/30 1,539 29/30 10,163 30/31 1,503 30/31 9,991 Number on Roll (Year 7 only) Number on Roll (Whole phase) Year 7 Pupil Forecast – SPA South Year 7 Pupil Forecast Year 24/25 25/26 26/27 27/28 28/29 29/30 30/31 Year-on-Year +/- -51 -37 +16 +17 -43 -56 -49 Year 7 Surplus 133 110 94 77 120 176 225 Barnhill Community High School, Bishopshalt School, Guru Nanak Sikh Academy, Harlington School, Hewens College, Oak Wood School, Park Academy West London, Rosedale College, Swakeleys School for Girls, Uxbridge High School Rolls are beginning to stabilise in this area, and revised projections show Year 7 intake reached its peak in Sept 2023, and total secondary roll will continue to rise until Sept 2026. Numbers are very susceptible to changes in cross-borough flows and the perceived educational standards in schools. Each year, demand fluctuates with changes in the level of applications and the success rate for out of borough faith and selective schools. As set out above, there is considerable mobility between north and south and out borough, which requires a margin above the projected numbers to accommodate fluctuation in parental preferences from year to year. A planned 1.5FE expansion opened in Sept 2023. No other expansions are necessary at this time. Year NOR Year NOR 23/24 2,014 23/24 12,191 24/25 1,963 24/25 12,409 25/26 1,926 25/26 12,516 26/27 1,942 26/27 12,537 27/28 1,959 27/28 12,460 28/29 1,916 28/29 12,352 29/30 1,860 29/30 12,180 30/31 1,811 30/31 11,970 Number on Roll (Year 7 only) Number on Roll (Whole phase)

Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public OUTCOME OF THE PROPOSAL TO AMALGAMATE GRANGE PARK INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL AND GRANGE PARK JUNIOR SCHOOL – SPRING 2025 Committee name Children, Families & Education Select Committee Officer reporting Abi Preston – Director of Education & SEND Papers with report Appendix 1 – Hillingdon Infant and Junior Amalgamation Policy – September 2022 Appendix 2 – Grange Park Public Notice Appendix 3 – Statutory Proposal to amalgamate Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School Appendix 4 – Frequently Asked Question – Proposed Amalgamation of Grange Park Schools Appendix 5 – Academic Research of the benefits of Amalgamation Ward Belmore HEADLINES The Governing Board of Grange Park Junior School and the London Borough of Hillingdon, with the support of the Governing Board of Grange Park Nursery and Infant School, are consulting on a proposal for the two schools to amalgamate to form a single three-form entry foundation primary school for children aged 3 to 11 years with effect from 1st September 2025, with a total published pupil number of 630. In order to amalgamate the 2 schools and create a Primary school, the Council are proposing to close the Infant and Nursery school, and Governing Board of the Junior school are proposing to extend their age range. Following the DfE statutory process, approval is being requested (Local Authority as the decision- maker) to amalgamate the two schools. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Children, Families & Education Select Committee: 1. Review the proposal to amalgamate Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School, by closing Grange Park Infant and Nursery School , and extending the age range of the Junior School from 7–11-year-olds, to 3–11- year-olds; 2. Note the 84 responses from the consultation in response to both proposals; and 3. Provide comments to be included in the Cabinet report which will be presented on 10 April 2025. Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public SUPPORTING INFORMATION The Council, and schools are expected to consider the long-term vision of each school, ensure the best outcomes for our children and young people , and the sustainability of schools . Part of this responsibility is to continue to:  improve and provide the best possible education and care for every child;  provide an excellent working environment and experience for staff; and  support and work with their local community The Governing Body of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School , and t he Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School , along with the Council have been discussing this proposal since Summer 2024, and see a range of benefits in combining the existing schools into a new primary school, which include:  A consistent approach to the ways in which children are taught and supported, recognising the current strengths of both schools.  Increased opportunities for children in all key stages to come together for pastoral, social and creative activities.  Consistency of parental involvement throughout the primary phase of education by having the ability to foster longer-term relationships with families within one school.  Communication between school and parents will be simplified, especially for parents with children in both schools. It would remove any duplication and ensure a joined-up approach for events, training and other matters.  Removes the need for parents to apply for a place at the Junior School as children would automatically continue their education as part of one Grange Park school.  Increased career development opportunities for staff through the sharing of a wider range of expertise and the possibility to gain experience and an understanding of all Primary Key Stages.  Greater opportunity for cost effectiveness through economies of scale e.g. in purchasing, ensuring the best provision possible for the children; Both Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School are maintained Foundation schools and share a building , with the Infant school operating downstairs and the Junior school operating upstairs . They both remained ‘Good’ at their last Ofsted Inspection. Grange Park Infant and Nursery School was inspected in June 2024 , and Grange Park Junior School was inspected in November 2024. With the headteacher of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School retiring in Summer 2024, Hillingdon Council required the governing bodies of both schools to consider amalgamation in line with the Hillingdon Council policy (Appendix 1). There is currently an interim Headteacher in post at Grange Park Infant and Nursery School for one academic year, and a permanently employed Headteacher of Grange Park Junior school. The birth rate in Hillingdon has been steadily declining since 2016, which has impacted primary schools’ pupil numbers across the Borough. The combined on -roll figures at Grange Park Infant and Nursery, and Grange Park Junior Schools have decreased by 12% over the past 5 Autumn census’ as noted in the tables below and are expected to continue to reduce in line with falling birth rates. Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public Grange Park Infant School Census PAN On Roll % of PAN filled Autumn 2020 360 318 88% Autumn 2021 360 286 79% Autumn 2022 360 263 73% Autumn 2023 360 254 71% Autumn 2024 330 245 74% Grange Park Junior School Census PAN On Roll % of PAN filled Autumn 2020 480 380 79% Autumn 2021 480 400 83% Autumn 2022 480 414 86% Autumn 2023 480 380 79% Autumn 2024 450 369 82% To manage the falling roll in both schools, a formal consultation was undertaken by each school in Autumn 2022 to reduce the Published Admissions Number (PAN) from September 2024, reducing from 4FE to 3FE, a reduction of 30 pupils in each year group. Equality Impact Assessment for both schools An equality impact assessment was considered, however, as the children on roll at both schools will continue to attend the same site, with the same school, staff and the same support and funding, it was deemed to have no potential impact on any children who share protected characteristics. There will be:  No change to the Net Capacity of the School  No change to the Published Admissions Number (PAN) of the schools  No change to the curriculum being taught. Therefore, it was not deemed necessary to carry out a full equality impact assessment. However, these changes will be monitored. Financial Implications As detailed in the Schools operational guide: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK, ‘where schools amalgamate after 01 April 2025, the new school will receive funding equivalent to the formula funding of the closing schools added together for the appropriate proportion of the year. This means that they receive the combined lump sums for the remainder of the year and 70% of the second lump sum in the following year. Local authorities can apply to provide a second year of protection. This needs to be discussed and agreed with Schools Forum.” Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public The financial implication of the amalgamation of the two schools will be the eve ntual loss of the lump sum income usually available per school. The school will , however, benefit from better economies of scale which will mitigate the impact of this loss. A review of resource allocation and deployment as part of the amalgamation will also enable the school to mitigate the impact of the loss of one lump sum and gain a net positive from the amalgamation. RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION As both schools are maintained foundation schools, Hillingdon Council can propose to close Grange Park Infant and Nursery School under Section 15 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, with notice given in accordance with The School Organisation (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations 2013. The Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School are proposing to extend the age range of Junior School from 7–11-year-olds to 3–11-year-olds, with notice given in accordance with The School Organisation ( Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013. The two proposals follow two separate guidance processes: Opening and closing maintained schools and Making significant changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained schools. While there is no longer a statutory ‘pre -publication’ consultation period for proposed prescribed alteration changes to increase the age range of a school , there is a statutory requirement to consult any parties the proposer thinks appropriate before publishing proposals under section 15 proposals to close a maintained school. Consultation was carried out in Autumn 202 4 with the two Grange Park schools related to this proposal, however, the following engagement with all 10 sets of Infant and Junior Schools in Hillingdon by Council Officers should also be noted:  11 June 2024 – a letter was sent to all Infant and Junior Headteachers in keeping with the Council’s Infant and Junior Schools Amalgamation policy (Successful, Sustainable, Viable Schools). As part of this policy , on the retirement or resignation of the Headteacher from either of the linked Infant and Junior Schools, the two schools will amalgamate and form an all through primary school. Information sessions for Headteachers and Governors of Infant or Junior schools were held  Monday 01 July 2024 at 5:00 – 6:00 pm – 27 attendees (5 Officers and 22 Headteachers/ Governors)  Tuesday 02 July 2024 at 12:00 – 1:00 pm – 24 attendees (5 Officers and 18 Headteachers/ Governors and 1 HR lead) These sessions provided opportunity for Headteachers and Governors of Infant or Junior schools to find out more about the process and benefits of amalgamating and answer any queries or concerns from the sch ools. The meeting encouraged Infant and Junior schools , as well as Governing Bodies, to work clos er together for the benefit of their shared school and local community. The key enquiries from schools were related to research on the benefits of the potential amalgamation, and the financial impact on schools that do amalgamate. Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public Consultation The pre-publication consultation period was held with interested parties from 25 November 2024 to 16 January 2025. An information session for stakeholders was held at the school site on 25 November 2024 which included the Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team (SLT) from both schools, Chair of Governors, and Governors from both Schools. The themes of which have been highlighted below: Options for Amalgamation:  Several options were discussed, including the closure of one or both schools.  The process involves formal consultation and engagement with both Governing Boards. Governance and Decision-Making:  Discussions on the mechanism for the proposed amalgamation, including if one school closed and the age range of the other was extended.  Emphasis on the importance of mutual agreement and transparency in communication between all parties and across both schools.  The requirement for a minimum number of Governors across both schools, and the decision-making process for any changes as a result of the proposed amalgamation. Queries, concerns and Feedback:  Queries and c oncerns from staff and parents about the impact of the proposed amalgamation on jobs, finances, and school culture.  Discussions on the timeline for the proposed amalgamation and the potential impact on staff and pupils.  The importance of building trust and relationships between the two schools whether there is amalgamation or not. Support and Next Steps:  The Council and Schools HR (organisation commissioned by the schools to support with HR related matters) will support the two schools through the process if amalgamation is approved.  The need for clear communication and agreement on the timeline and the process for the proposed amalgamation.  The importance of making decisions that are in the best interest of the children. Financial and Structural Considerations:  The financial model for the proposed amalgamation.  Discussions on the need for any internal restructuring.  The importance of reviewing staff structures as part of the proposed amalgamation. Support from Schools HR: Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public  Confirmation that Schools HR would assist with any related HR processes if the proposal to amalgamate is approved.  Union engagement should be managed through Schools HR if the proposal to amalgamate is approved. Staff Engagement and Communication:  Emphasis on the need for staff to have space to engage with the process.  Joint messaging to staff will become the standard approach during the process.  Both schools agreed on a joint statement to staff. Publication As part of the formal consultation, the Council issued a Public Notice (Appendix 2) which was sent to the West London Gazette for publication on Wednesday 29 January 2025, with 4 copies put up around the school site on entrance/exits in line with the statutory process. As the proposal for one change is linked to another, this was made clear in any notices that were published. Where a proposal by a local authority is ‘related’ to a proposal by other proposers such as this, the 2 notices could be published together and cross-refer to the other. The full proposal was published on the school’s websites and the Council website, and included information setting out (in line with the statutory process):  how copies of the proposal may be obtained;  that anybody can object to, or comment on, the proposal;  the date that the representation period ends; and  the local authority’s address to which objections or comments should be submitted. Representation The statutory proposal (Appendix 3), was available from Wednesday 29th January 2025 at 9:00am to Friday 7th March 2025 at 5:00pm on the consultation page of the Hillingdon Council website. This included a brief outline of the proposed change, the full proposal, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document (Appendix 4), a copy of the Public Notice , and a questionnaire to obtain feedback. Information regarding the consultation was publicised to all schools within the Borough via email. Both Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School shared the information on their school webpages by including the pdfs of the above documents as well as including a link to the Hillingdon Council consultation webpage. As Hillingdon Council also receives school admissions applications from residents who live outside of the Borough, the consultation was designed to be inclusive. Therefore, officers contacted the following surrounding Councils to share details of the consultation:  London Borough of Ealing  London Borough of Hounslow  London Borough of Brent Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public  London Borough of Harrow  Hertfordshire County Council  Buckinghamshire County Council  Slough Borough Council There were also drop-in sessions at the school site, where Officers were on hand to answer any questions in person and to explain the proposal as necessary. This was held on Wednesday 12 February 2025 between 2:00pm – 3:00pm for stakeholders, including parents/guardians, school staff and residents (12 attendees) and a further session was held for school staff separately, from 3:30pm to 4:30pm (46 attendees), with a total of 58 attendees across the two sessions. A virtual session was also held on Thursday 13 February 2025 at 5:00pm-6:00pm to provide another opportunity for stakeholders to ask questions or comment on the proposal (1 attendee). Consultation Responses 84 responses were received in total during the consultation period with 83 submitted via the online questionnaire and 1 email. The responses are summarised below. Online Questionnaire responses are summarised below: 1. 73 respondents agreed with the proposal to amalgamate Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School to form a single three-form primary school  Yes - 73  No - 9  Don’t know – 1 2. Of the 10 respondents that answered 'No' or 'Don't know', reasons have been summarised below in the paper 3. 75 respondents did not agree that the proposed changes would disadvantage any Hillingdon residents.  Yes - 4  No - 75  Don’t know – 4 4. Of the 4 respondents that agreed that the changes will disadvantage Hillingdon residents, reasons have been summarised below in the paper. 5. 83 respondents have confirmed their interest in the proposal as:  A parent/ Carer/guardian – 27  A staff member – 32  A local resident – 5  Other – 14  Prefer not to say – 4  Blank – 1 6. 42 respondents stated that they have children under the age of 18 living in their household. Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public 7. Respondents were invited to state which school(s) their child(ren) currently attend, and the responses were as follows:  Grange Park Infant and Nursery School – 18  Grange Park Junior School – 16  Grange Park (non-specified) – 11  Out of Borough – 3  Rosedale College – 2  Uxbridge College – 2  Belmore Academy – 1  Cranford Community College - 1  De Salis Studio College – 1  Douay Martyrs – 1  Hedgewood - 1  Langley Academy – 1  Oak Wood School – 1  Queensmead School – 1  St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School – 1  Uxbridge High School – 1 8. 26 provided additional comments on the proposals which are summarised below: One email response was received querying the proposed new Primary Schools uniform policy. Please see themes of consultation responses below: The information below seeks to set out the themes from the consultation to the proposal to Council’s proposal to close Grange Park Infant and Nursery School, and the Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School to extend the age range of Junior School from 7–11-year-olds to 3– 11-year-olds. THEMES 1. Safety of Younger Children  Some respondents were worried about the safety of younger children (reception and nursery) when mixed with older students. During the information event, it was made clear by the junior school Headteacher that children would continue to be educated and socialize with children of their own age as in other primary schools if the amalgamation is approved. 2. Disruption to Pupils' Education  Some respondents were concerned that amalgamation might disrupt children’s learning and emotional well-being. Children remain at the heart of this proposal, and their education and wellbeing remain a priority. Both schools are working closely together to ensure that children’s education or wellbeing is not impacted by the proposed amalgamation and will continue to work together whether the amalgamation is approved or not. Benefits of amalgamation for children are set out earlier in this paper. Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public 3. Loss of Individual School Identities  Some respondents were concerned that merging Grange Park schools will dilute their unique cultures and leadership styles It is expected that both schools will benefit from the proposed amalgamation and implement the best practice fro m across b oth schools . Benefits of amalgamation for children are set out earlier in this paper. If the amalgamation process is approved, the school leadership team will also decide on plans for uniform across the Infants and Juniors. 4. Impact on Special Educational Needs (SEN) Provision  Some respondents highlighted they were concerned that resources for SEN students might be restructured or reduced It is expected that pupils will have access to a wider range of resources and support across the 2 schools if amalgamation is approved. This will provide a benefit to these pupils, along with the continuity for parents of liaising with one school and only having to tell their story once. Children remain at the heart of this proposal, and their educati on and wellbeing remain a priority. Support will continue to be provided for children that require it whether amalgamation is approved or not. Benefits of amalgamation for children are set out earlier in this paper. 5. Staffing Uncertainty  Some respondents were worried that amalgamation may lead to staff redundancies, restructuring and increasing workloads. During the consultation event, the Headteacher of the Junior school was very clear about the value of the staff in both schools and expressed a desire to work with the staff team if amalgamation was approved to retain as many staff as possible. It is also recognised that all schools expect to have an element of natural staff turnover regardless of the amalgamation process. The school leadership team will keep this under review if the amalgamation is approved. 6. Request for more information to support the rationale for amalgamation  Some respondents felt that more information about the rationale behind the amalgamation was needed. The Council has set out a policy on amalgamation and the benefits to children and their education and wellbeing, along with the benefits to the schools. Benefits of amalgamation are set out earlier in this paper. Academic research was also shared with both Governing Bodies during the initial discussions about the amalgamation process demonstrating the positive impact of amalgamation. A list of the academic research referenced can be found in Appendix 5. 7. Impact on Local Community  Some respondents felt the proposed amalgamation would negatively affect the local community, and choice for parents Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public The proposed amalgamation would see the school continue to engage in the community and provide a smoother education journey for children as they would not need to apply for a place at the junior school as they do now. Parents will retain their ability to express a preference for which school their child attends, and this will not change as part of the proposed amalgamation. Benefits of amalgamation are set out earlier in this paper. Conclusion As noted from the consultation responses, there is overwhelming support for the amalgamation, and a range of benefits for the children and the school outlined in the paper. It is felt that the proposed amalgamation will provide a better learning experience for children, with a more consistent journey through their primary education, sharing resources from both schools , and engaging with one set of staff who will know the children , and allow them to move seamlessly between year groups during their time at the school. Next steps If approval is granted by Cabinet, the Education Service will notify the Department for Education and implement the proposal following the requirements set within the School organisation: local- authority-maintained schools - GOV.UK guidance Opening and closing maintained schools and Making significant changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained schools. The school will be expected to open as a Primary school in September 2025 if amalgamation is approved. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS There are no financial impediments to the recommendations within the report. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS There are no legal impediments to the recommendations within the report. BACKGROUND PAPERS Opening and Closing maintained schools Making significant changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to maintained schools. APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Hillingdon Infant and Junior Amalgamation Policy – September 2022 Appendix 2 – Grange Park Public Notice Appendix 3 – Statutory Proposal to amalgamate Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School Appendix 4 – Frequently Asked Question – Proposed Amalgamation of Grange Park Schools Appendix 5 – Academic Research of the benefits of Amalgamation

1 London Borough of Hillingdon Successful, Sustainable, Viable Schools: Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 2 London Borough of Hillingdon Amalgamation Policy CONTENTS Introduction 3 The Educational Case for Amalgamation 4 Governance and Leadership 4 Parents Views 4 Financial Implications 5 The Policy 5 Implementation 5 Legislative Framework 6 The Statutory Process 7 Timeline of decisions and process 9 Appendix 1 – Options for addressing surplus primary school places 11 London Councils Place Planning Workshop – December 2021. Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 3 Introduction 1. Hillingdon Council is a Local Authority (LA) with a role as commissioner and champion of parents and children. The LA has a statutory duty to ensure that there are sufficient and high-quality school places and wishes to support every school to be successfu l, sustainable, and viable. Hillingdon LA has delegated the majority of budgets and responsibilities to schools and the vast majority of Hillingdon schools provide a high - quality education to their pupils and strive constantly to raise the standard of education. They are committed to working collaboratively with each other and in partnership with all their stakeholders, with a strong focus on developing extended service provision for their local communities. Schools face constant challenges, and all are unique. LA works with them to shape a positive future for all pupils and schools. 2. Many pupils and schools have experienced high movement of pupils since Covid, and across London, primary school rolls have declined in the past few years and many now have some smaller year groups with fewer classes in. This affects how schools manage stability of classes, staffing and budgets and some have to move pupils between classes and teachers within a school year. The movements impact on pupils and constrains work to help them catch up after three years of interrupted schooling. 3. Schools need to be more resilient as r olls are volatile whilst families are still moving homes and jobs, and future roll projections are uncertain. London borough place - planning leads have discussed options to help stabilise schools and manage surplus places and declining primary rolls and a summary table of options is at Appendix 1. Hillingdon is now considering and progressing most of these options to best support schools in their different circumstances. The Education White and Green Papers, March 2022, adds further context and pressure, to improve support and integration of pupils with SEN in mainstream schools and for all schools to consider conversion to academy status, at the same time as budget pressures on schools will continue. 4. Approximately half of Hillingdon’s total 99 schools are maintained by the LA; 1 community nursery school; 29 community primary and 2 special (1 primary and 1 secondary); 10 VA primary, 6 Foundation primary and 2 Foundation Secondary. These include most of the primary schools with the lowest rolls in Hillingdon, and current funding pressures require the LA to review how best to support these schools and prevent further schools becoming unviable educationally or financially. The other half of schools are academies, mostly in small local multi academy trusts (MATs) or standalone, 49 schools in a total of 22 Trusts. 5. Most Hillingdon primary schools are three form entry or larger, and 92% are graded good or outstanding by Ofsted and very popular with parents. There are only 8 one form entry schools, mainly Church of England or Roman Catholic schools. However, there are also ten pairs of Infant and Junior schools and following roll decline 18 (January 2022 Census) of these 20 schools have rolls below 420 pupils, a two form entry primary school, though they are two, three or four form entry. In September 2021 two more pairs of Infant and Junior schools became primary schools after consult ing and deciding to amalgamate. The I nfant and J unior schools are particularly vulnerable to financial and class organisation pressures as they only have three or f our year groups to move teachers around. All are maintained except for two Junior schools th at joined different MATs. In recent years several have had difficulties in recruiting leaders or staff, or have been graded ‘Requires Improvement’ by Ofsted and/or have fallen into deficit, as class sizes have fallen below the viable level (around 25). All of this affects pupil experiences and if Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 4 one school is struggling, some families move pupils out of both schools. 6. Hillingdon LA has now updated its policy on amalgamation of Infant and Junior schools as it considers all-through primary phase schools are more resilient to support all their pupils to learn and achieve across a wide curriculum, with continuity from age 3-11. This should have benefits across the borough: a. all schools more likely to maintain and improve the quality of education b. parents in all areas of the borough continue to be offered a choice of local provision c. public resources are used more efficiently and effectively. 7. This policy draws on the experience of those schools who have recently amalgamated and other LA’s good practice, rooted in supporting educational improvement. Amalgamation will be considered when it is in the best interest s of current and future pupils attending the schools involved, considering local and individual circumstances. In the implementation of this amalgamation policy, the local authority will work from 2022 onwards with governing bodies and other parties to ach ieve combined ‘all -through’ primary schools where and when appropriate. Also, the LA is willing to help broker discussions between one -form entry schools and dioceses about shared Executive Headships and other joint arrangements between groups of two or th ree small schools, who wish to retain their individual status but share costs and expertise. 8. Each Infant and Junior school governing body is asked to discuss this policy and plan their own route towards full amalgamation. For some this may be some years ahead, though others may be pushed by circumstances setting off triggers. Many already have joint committees of the two chairs and heads or have federated to form one governing body in advance of full amalgamation, with one Executive Head or share posts such as SENCO and site manager. 9. This Policy will only be applied to Hillingdon maintained schools for which the LA retains the responsibility for conducting school organisational changes of this nature. Any school that has converted to academy status falls under the remit of the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE) and would not be subject to this policy. However, DfE national policy supports amalgamation. The Educational Case for Amalgamation 10. The creation of all through primary schools brings a number of benefits including: a. The staffing structure is aligned with the National Curriculum Key Stages; there may be separate leaders for Foundation, Key Stages 1 and 2 but there will be coherent planning across the primary phase and shared expertise, giving greater flexibility across and between the Key Stages, to meet the needs of all pupils. b. Separate Infant and Junior schools are disproportionately more likely to be graded Requires Improvement by Ofsted or to have budget deficits. c. More resources spent on pupils in classes and employing specialist staff. A primary school provides strong continuity and progression for children and families in terms of the curriculum and social experience. This is particularly beneficial to pupils with special and additional needs or high abilities. d. All pupils have access to staff expertise and resources such as musical instruments and groups, and sport, gym facilities and playing fields (most Infant schools do not have fields), and to a wider range of wrap-around and extra-curricular activities. e. Better recruitment, succession planning and retention of staff and opportunities for Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 5 staff to learn and develop professionally within schools. All teachers and classroom staff have access to the whole primary curriculum. This supports and informs whole school planning, assessment, pastoral systems, etc, and provides opportunities for wider staff development and experience across the full primary phase. f. Infant and Junior schools are not eligible to apply for leadership schemes such as Teaching School Hubs due to their small size and infrastructure. The DfE rarely recognises Infant schools within funded schemes, such as Covid digital devices. Primary schools receive more support than Infant and Junior schools, which strengthens the argument for the benefit of shared access to resources. g. This would create more three form primary schools and some four form entry - all with more scope to be flexible if some year groups are smaller. This will help schools make the best use of their funding and expertise. Governance and Leadership 11. A single governing body and headteacher can provide strategic governance and vision for all primary key stages and be accountable for outcomes across the school phases, and allocation of resources between them. Currently there are difficulties recruiting governors so a refocus of resources would improve more schools. Parents Views 12. Whilst Infant and Junior schools are popular with parents it was clear by 2021 that separate Infant and Junior schools tend to have more vacancies than all-through primary schools and where there is a local choice the nearby primary school tends to be full and over-subscribed and parents choose to move pupils into them if there are vacancies. This has led to pupils ‘waiting’ for a while until a vacancy occurs, and this is disruptiv e for those pupils and others in their classes. 13. Parents with several children can be irritated by the separate structures, offices and rules applying to their children across the two schools and the differences in policies such as reading, SEN support, behaviour, spelling, homework etc. However, where s eparate schools work closely together, the duplication of structures adds costs. Financial Implications 14. Most of the separate Infant and Junior schools are below 420 pupils, that is two form entry and they lack financial resilience, scope for economies of scale or a wide range of staff expertise. 15. Local authorities are legally constrained in how much they can help schools in difficulty. School Budgets are currently under huge pressure from inflation, high fixed costs and a fall in primary rolls across Lond on due to the impact of the lower birth rate, Brexit and Covid. Separate Infant and Junior schools are more likely than all -through primary schools to have financial pressures, and often the leadership structure and non-teaching costs are disproportionately expensive. The amalgamation of Infant and Junior schools should result in savings being achieved over the first few years, through a rationalisation of resources and economies of scale by combining operations and streamlining the procurement of services. 16. Combined schools sharing the same site are able to maximise the efficiency of their resources, with scope for more expertise to be shared across the school. A combined school staffing structure removes duplication and support functions can be consolidated across the single school, with a positive impact on the budget. 17. Primary pupil numbers are volatile and a combined single school on a site has more resilience to be flexible with allocating staff if year groups different in size, and improve the accommodation and use of the site. Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 6 18. The amalgamation of the sc hools will allow for a pooling of asset related revenue budgets, and the ability to manage property costs over both buildings, which will support a better maintenance regime. The Policy 19. The London Borough of Hillingdon will require Governing Bodies of all separate Infant and Junior schools to consider amalgamating their two linked schools when one or more of the following ‘trigger circumstances’ occur, unless there are compelling and overriding reasons: a) A headteacher vacancy arises in either or both schools. b) Total pupil numbers in either school are 25% or more below the Published Admission Number. c) Ofsted inspection in one of the schools identifies a ‘Requires Improvement’ judgement. d) One or both of the schools cannot set a balanced budget or has financial problems. e) One or both of the schools involved is judged to be a ‘School causing concern’ by the London Borough of Hillingdon. f) One or both schools have PANs or are recruiting at below two forms of entry – making the individual schools relatively small and at risk of becoming unviable within the Hillingdon funding context. g) Other pressures whereby the educational provision would be improved through amalgamation such as provision of SEN support, staff recruitment and retention or issues linked to the buildings. Implementation 20. Discussions, advice, reports, and consultations about school organisation matters will be led by the Head of School Place Planning on behalf of the Director of Education. 21. Progress towards amalgamation will be presumed unless the educational advantages set out in this policy would not be delivered by combining the two schools. Both school Governing Bodies will need to work with the Local Authority to address any concerns and plan the timescale for amalgamation. The London Borough of Hillingdon will conside r using the powers available to it to require amalgamation if there is a pressing case for this and Governing Bodies are not addressing the matters. 22. Newly amalgamated schools retain both lump sums in the year of amalgamation and then get some protection for at least one year (two if Schools Forum and DfE agree) and can choose to plan a longer phasing in of different changes; such as to policies, use of the building or staff structures; in order to maximise benefits and avoid negative disruption to pupils. 23. When considering whether to convert to academy status all governing bodies of separate Infant and Junior schools are urged to consider amalgamation at the same time. The Local Authority will not support separate Infant and Junior conversions as it fails to deliver all the education, social and other benefits to pupils, parents and schools set out above. There are now two lone Infant schools and if they wish to join the Trust of their linked Junior school, this would be supported by the LA. Legislative Framework 24. Amalgamation involves making changes to the organisation of schools and this is governed by statutory processes that are detailed in the Department for Education Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 7 guidance booklet Opening and Closing Maintained Schools . Section 3 of the document specifies that the process for amalgamating a linked Infant and Junior school requi res that one or both schools undergoes a ‘technical’ closure. This requires a formal consultation on proposals led by the LA, working closely with the governing bodies to involve parents, staff, and other stakeholders. 25. In accordance with the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”) the local authority has power to bring forward proposals to make changes to schools. Within these powers there are two routes for the local authority to achieve a combined school: ● To extend the age range and expand the capacity of one school and to discontinue the other school. ● To discontinue both schools and seek proposals for the establishment of an academy school. 26. When it is proposed to amalgamate schools under the terms of this amalgamation policy, the default position of the London Borough of Hillingdon will be to extend the age range and expand the capacity of one school and to discontinue the other school. This approach is adopted to ensure timely processes can be planned a nd to minimise any risk to the continuity of schooling. 27. When the trigger circumstance to amalgamate schools is the resignation of a headteacher, the local authority will usually discontinue the school where the headteacher has resigned and the vacancy occurs. The local authority considers that this provides a c onsistent and objective approach that does not imply any issue of underperformance or of take -over. The local authority will consider each case on an individual basis and consider any specific circumstances. 28. Whichever route is followed to establish the combined school, the governing body of the newly combined school must be representative of the former schools, with experience across Foundation Stage to Key Stage 2. If one school is closed and they do not have already have a federated governing body in place, the governing body of the other school whose age range is extended will reconstitute itself for the combined school to ensure that this representation is achieved. The Statutory Process 29. This section below, from the DfE guidance, sets out the stages of the statutory process. The statutory process below must be followed as set out by DfE in Opening and Closing Maintained Schools. The LA school Place Planning team will lead this for community schools and closely support Foundation schools. Stage 1: Consultation 30. It is a statutory requirement t o consult any parties the proposer thinks are appropriate before publishing proposals under section 10 or 11 for new schools and for section 15 proposals to close a maintained school. 31. The proposer may use the consultation to consider a range of options for the future of a school (e.g. amalgamation, federation, or closure). However, the proposer must then publish specific proposals (see stage two of the statutory process below). It is these specific proposals setting out details of the new school or the school to be closed which can be commented on or objected to during the statutory representation period. 32. It is for the proposer to determine the nature and length of the consultation. It is best practice for consultations to be carried out in term time to allow the maximum number of people to respond. Proposers should have regard to the Cabinet Office guidance on Consultation principles when deciding how to carry out the consultation period. Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 8 Stage 2: Publication 33. The proposer must publish the full proposal on a website along with a statement setting out: • how copies of the proposal may be obtained; • that anybody can object to, or comment on, the proposal; • the date that the representation period ends; and • the address to which objections or comments should be submitted. 34. A brief notice containing the website address of the full proposal must be published in a local newspaper and may also be published in a conspicuous place on the school premises (where any exist), such as at all of the entrances to the school. Stage 3: Representation 35. Proposers of a school closure should consult organisations, groups, and individuals they feel to be appropriate during the representation period (the information at Annex A can be used for examples). 36. The representation period starts on the date of publication of the statutory proposal and MUST last for four weeks. During this period, any person or organisation can submit comments on the proposal to the LA, to be considered by the decision -maker. It is also good practice for LAs to forward representations t o the proposer (subject to any issues of data protection or confidentiality) to ensure that they are aware of local opinion. 37. The decision-maker will need to be satisfied that the proposer has had regard for the statutory process and must consider ALL the views submitted during the representation period, including all support for, objections to, and comments on the proposal. Stage 4: Decision 38. The LA will be the decision -maker on a school closure proposal, unless the closure proposal is ‘related’ to another proposal that is to be decided by the Schools Adjudicator. 39. The Schools Adjudicator will decide proposals for new schools made by the LA (and cases where the LA is involved in the trust of a proposed foundation school). The LA will decide proposals for new schools from other proposers. Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 9 Actions and rough Timeline of key decisions – by both LA and schools Description Conclude informal discussions between Heads, governors and LA officers and other relevant stakeholders such as HR providers. 1 Full Governing Body decision to amalgamate. 2 Liaison with the Borough of Hillingdon over proposed amalgamation including agreeing Borough support/roles and responsibilities and process to seek Department for Education approval. 3 Informal consultation on proposed amalgamation with staff and unions (separate process for parents/carers and pupils). Acting Head Teachers, Governing Body representative, Borough Education Adviser and HR Consultant present. 4 If necessary, agree recruitment strategy for new Head Teacher & place advert. 5 London Borough of Hillingdon Cabinet Member approval to propose amalgamation LA will need to draft a Public Notice which will be sent to the West London Gazette (for publication on a Wednesday) and put up on the school site physically as part of the next step. 6 Formal 4-week consultation on proposed amalgamation with key stakeholders including staff, unions, parents/carers and pupils. Consultation meetings held with staff/unions and parents/carers. Acting Head Teachers, Governing Body representative, Borough Education Adviser and HR Consultant present as appropriate. 7 If needed, selection process for new Head Teacher including short-listing, invitations to selection day(s), interview and selection processes. 8 Ratification of Head Teacher appointment by Full Governing Body. 9 Final decision on proposal to amalgamate subject to the issue of Statutory Notice by Borough of Hillingdon. Once all the views and feedback of all stakeholders has been considered then this must be sent to the lead member to agree for LA approval as per DfE guidance. If the decision is to proceed, the following steps apply. If the decision to remain as separate schools, then the process halts. Where the LA is the decision-maker, within one week of making a determination they MUST publish their decision and the reasons for that decision being made on their website. They MUST arrange for notification of the decision and reasons for it to be sent to relevant parties. 10 Appointed Head Teacher* for the new primary school will review staffing structures for both schools in conjunction with Governing Body, Borough Education Adviser and HR consultant. 11 Head Teacher* in conjunction with Governing Body, Borough Education Adviser and HR consultant create the proposed staffing structure for the new primary school. Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 10 12 Head Teacher* in conjunction with Governing Body, Borough Education Adviser and HR consultant create or amend any new job descriptions for posts in the primary school. 13 Head Teacher* in conjunction with Governing Body, Borough Education Adviser and HR consultant produce a new primary school document covering staffing implications i.e. current and proposed staff structures and how the new structure will be implemented. 14 If there is a risk of redundancy, school** to declare a redundancy situation with advice and support of HR consultant meeting statutory and procedural requirements. 15 Head Teacher** in conjunction with the Governing Body and HR consultant to prepare invite letters to formal consultation meeting for staff and unions. 16 Head Teacher** to send the following documents to staff and unions, along with the invite letter to the formal consultation meeting: 1. new primary school consultation document explaining rationale for staffing changes 2. current staff structures for both schools 3. proposed new primary staff structure 4. implementation timeline 5. new job descriptions (where applicable) 17 Formal consultation meeting with staff and unions. Head Teacher*, Governing Body representative, Borough Education Adviser and HR Consultant present. 18 End of formal consultation period (consultation period up to 4 weeks). 19 The Governing Body considers responses raised during the consultation period. 20 Governing Body formally responds to staff and unions to end of consultation and in response to any comments receive 21 Follow staff restructuring process as set out in consultation documents/school policies. 22 Amalgamation and associated primary school staff structure takes effect. Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 11 Appendix 1 ADDRESSING SURPLUS PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES- OPTIONS TO CONSIDER London Councils Place Planning Workshop – December 2021. Cate Duffy- Interim Director of Children’s Services, Islington Option Opportunities Risks 1. Financial advice to schools to reduce costs- e.g. staffing restructures May support school sustainability if action is taken in a timely fashion. Likely to be something all schools need to consider in a context of surplus places LA may not have the expertise to provide advice- schools may not wish to accept Unlikely this will be enough by itself to sustain some schools if there is a large surplus in the area or where school already has significant falling rolls Staff reductions may impact more negatively on vulnerable children Any redundancies bring extra costs 2.Partnerships – Federation or MAT May support wider school improvement objectives of school collaboration and system leadership may reduce costs through shared appts May improve popularity of a school if partner with more well regarded school Tends to increase not reduce costs – e.g. larger SLT Unlikely to be enough to sustain schools if there is a large surplus in the area or where an individual school already has significant falling rolls 3. Additional provision to increase revenue – Early Years or SEND Resourced Provision (ARP) May provide additional revenue May improve popularity Early years numbers likely to be low if birth rate falling Costs of SEND provision may be higher than income Schools with falling rolls may not have the right culture and expertise to support SEND provision and may not be popular with parents of children with SEND- therefore decisions on ARP must be driven by the needs of SEND children 4. Co-location with other services e.g. libraries May provide additional revenue and support running costs May provide additional curriculum opportunities for children e.g. library May enhance position of school as heart of community Unlikely this will be enough by itself to sustain some schools if there is a large surplus in the area or where school already has significant falling rolls May be practical challenges in separating space and ensuring safeguarding 5. Co-location with another school May reduce running costs for both schools- efficient use of one site/facilities May allow school in poor quality buildings to move to better quality May free up a school site in location which supports wider council objectives/services Minimal redundancies may encourage collaborative working Disruptive for all staff and students but particularly the school that is moving May be unpopular with parents at one or both schools Requires culture shift by both schools to share space which may be challenging Risk that empty site may be taken for Free school (likely to be much reduced if area has surplus places and good outcomes) Header London Borough of Hillingdon – Infant & Junior Amalgamation Policy - September 2022.docx 12 6. PAN Reduction Largely uncontroversial Achieves reduction of places to reduce impact of falling rolls Capacity can quickly be brought back if demand increases Requires 2 year lead in for perm reduction Creates more smaller schools- reduces parent choice and may be more financially insecure Stops the tap but takes 7 years for full effect 7. Merger with PAN reduction- 1 school closes by default Achieves immediate PAN reduction across all year groups Timescale about 1 year but can be implemented up to 3 years later allowing more children to work through original school All children from one school move together – less disruptive for them and more acceptable to parents Children likely move from an unviable school which may not be able to provide best quality education to newly merged school which is likely to be financially sustainable Likely to be unpopular with the community of at least one school and therefor politically challenging Risk that empty site may be taken for Free school (likely to be much reduced if area has surplus places and good outcomes) Redundancies likely 8. School closure Achieves immediate PAN reduction across all year groups Timescale about 1 year but can be implemented up to 3 years later allowing more children to work through original school Most children moving from closed school likely to move to other LA schools with spaces and therefore improve their viability Very disruptive for children attending closed school – lose likely to separate from friends, progress likely to be negatively impacted particularly for the most vulnerable Influx to neighbouring schools may be hard to manage and have negative impact on quality of education Likely to be unpopular with the community of at least one school and therefor politically challenging Risk that empty site may be taken for Free school (likely to be much reduced if area has surplus places and good outcomes) Redundancies likely NOTES These options are not mutually exclusive. Areas with a large surplus may need to consider all of them. All options will require discussion with the RSC and Diocesan Board in the case of academies and faith schools. In the case of academies the RSC is the decision maker and therefore the LA must lead by influence Objections to PAN Reductions/School Closure can be raised with the Schools Adjudicator who has the power to overrule Under Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, local authorities are required to apply for the consent of the Secretary of State for Education to dispose of, or change the use of, land used for maintained schools and academies. The Secretary of State must first consider the potential for the land to be used by an existing or potential Academy(Free School).

LONDON BOROUGH OF HILLINGDON Statutory Notice Amalgamation of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School, Lansbury Drive, Hayes, UB4 8SF URN: 102433 and Grange Park Junior School, Lansbury Drive, Hayes, UB4 8SF, URN: 102432 Part 1: Closure of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School (Maintained) Notice is given in accordance with The School Organisation (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations 2013 that the London Borough of Hillingdon is proposing to discontinue Grange Park Infant and Nursery School with effect from 31st August 2025. Part 2: Prescribed Alteration to Grange Park Junior School (Maintained) Notice is given in accordance with The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 that the Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School is proposing to make prescribed alterations to Grange Park Junior School with effect from 1st September 2025. The prescribed alterations proposed are: Extend the age range of Grange Park Junior School to accommodate pupils from Nursery to Year 6. Increase the total pupil numbers at Grange Park Junior School to 630 pupils. This Notice is an extract from the complete proposal, copies of which may be obtained from School Place Planning Team, Hillingdon Council, Civic Centre, 3N/01, High Street Uxbridge, UB8 1UW Email: schoolplaceplanning@hillingdon.gov.uk. Website: www.hillingdon.gov.uk/have-your-say Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, any person may object to, support, or make comments on the proposal via School Place Planning Team, Hillingdon Council, Civic Centre, 3N/01, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW Email: schoolplaceplanning@hillingdon.gov.uk Responses must be received by 7th March 2025 at 5pm. Signed: ABI PRESTON Date: 29th January 2025

Statutory Proposal to amalgamate Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School Notice is given in accordance with The School Organisation (Establishment and Discontinuance of Schools) Regulations 2013 that the London Borough of Hillingdon is proposing to discontinue Grange Park Infant and Nursery School with effect from 31st August 2 025. Notice is also given in accordance with The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013 that the Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School is proposing to make prescribed alterations to Grange Park Junior School with effect from 1st September 2025. The prescribed alterations proposed are: • Extend the age range of Grange Park Junior School to accommodate pupils from Nursery to Year 6. • Increase the total pupil numbers at Grange Park Junior School to 630 pupils. Name and address of local authority: London Borough of Hillingdon, Civic Centre, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW Name, address and category of schools proposed to be amalgamated: Grange Park Infant and Nursery School, Lansbury Drive, Hayes, UB4 8SF, URN: 102433 (Foundation School) Grange Park Junior School, Lansbury Drive, Hayes, UB4 8SF, URN: 102432 (Foundation School) This proposal is published following the Department for Education Statutory Guidance (October 2024) Making Significant Changes (‘prescribed alterations’) to Maintained Schools and Opening and Closing Maintained schools (October 2024). Type of Proposal Closure of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and the expansion of the age range of Grange Park Junior school to create a primary school. Proposal The Governing Board of Grange Park Junior School and the London Borough of Hillingdon, with the support of the Governing Board of Grange Park Nursery and Infant School, are consulting on a proposal for the two schools to amalgamate to form a single three-form entry foundation primary school for children aged 3 to 11 years with effect from 1st September 2025, with a total published pupil number of 630. Proposer The proposers for the closure of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School are Hillingdon Council. The Governing Body of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School are supportive of the principle of amalgamation set out in the Hillingdon Council policy. The proposers for the expansion of the age range of Grange Park Junior School are the Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School, with the support of Hillingdon Council. Implementation Date It is proposed that Grange Park Infant and Nursery School would close on 31 st August 2025 and Grange Park Junior School will expand to become a Primary on the existing site with effect from 1st September 2025. Reason for amalgamation Part of the role of any Governing Board is to consider the long-term vision of the school(s) it is responsible for and how, in the future, they can continue to: • improve and provide the best possible education and care for every child; • provide an excellent working environment and experience for staff; and • support and work with their local community Both schools are on the same site and share a building, and both schools are rated ‘Good’ at their last Ofsted Inspection . Grange Park Infant and Nursery Schools taking place in June 2024 and Grange Park Junior Schools in November 2024. With the headteacher of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School retiring in Summer 2024, Hillingdon Coun cil required the governing bodies of both schools to consider amalgamation in line with the Hillingdon Council policy. The birth rate in Hillingdon has been steadily declining since 2016, which has impacted Primary Schools pupil numbers across the Borough. The combined on -roll figures at Grange Park Infant and Nursery and Grange Park Junior Schools have decreased over the past 5 Autumn Census’. To manage the falling roll in both schools , a formal consultation was undertaken in Autumn 2022 to reduce the Published Admissions Number (PAN) from September 2024, reducing from 4FE to 3FE. The Governing Body of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and the Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School along with the Council see advantages in combining the existing schools into a new primary school including. These advantages are listed in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document and include: • A consistent approach to the ways in which children are taught and supported, recognising the current strengths of both schools. • Increased opportunities for children in all key stages to come together for pastoral, social and creative activities. • Consistency of parental involvement throughout the primary phase of education by having the ability to foster longer-term relationships with families within one school; • Communication between school and parents will be simplified, especially for parents with children in both schools. It would remove any duplication and ensure a joined up approach for events, training and other matters; • Removes the need for parents to apply for a place at the Junior School as children would automatically continue their education as part of one Grange Park school. • Increased career development opportunities for staff through the sharing of a wider range of expertise and the possibility to gain experience and an understanding of all Primary Key Stages. • Greater opportunity for cost effectiveness through economies of scale e.g. in purchasing, ensuring the best provision possible for the children; Pupil Numbers and Admissions Grange Park Infant and Nursery School is a 3FE maintained foundation infant school with 320 pupils on roll (including Nursery), for pupils aged 3 to 7 as per the October 2024 Census. Grange Park Infant & Nursery School Nursery Reception Year 1 Year 2 Total On Roll October 2024 75 79 89 77 320 Grange Park Junior School is a 3FE maintained foundation junior school with 369 pupils on roll, for pupils aged 7 to 11 as per the October 2024 Census. Grange Park Junior School Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Total On Roll October 2024 83 88 96 102 369 There is no boarding provision at either school. Sex of pupils Both schools are co-educational. Not applicable Displaced pupils This proposal forms an amalgamation, and therefore no pupils would be displaced. From 1st September 2025, pupils currently at Grange Park Infant and Nursery School would have places at the expanded Grange Park Junior School. Current pupils in Year 2 would automatically transition to Year 3. Impact on the community Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School serve the same geographic area and occupy the same building. The proposed amalgamation of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School will not displace any pupils, or have any impact on travel, and will therefore have no impact on the community. The proposal will provide certainty of progression to the junior phase and offer an all - through primary education. Rural primary schools Not applicable. Balance of denominational provision Not applicable. Early Years provision It is intended that the current nursery at Grange Park Infant and Nursery School would continue to operate as part of the primary school, and the proposed age-range change of Grange Park Junior School includes the nursery provision. There would be no change for children in the current setting, therefore, the provision would continue to be accessible and convenient for local families. Sixth Form provision Not applicable. Effect on other Educational Establishments There may be minimal impact on other educational establishments as current pupils from Grange Park Infant and Nursery School will automatically be transferred to Grange Park Junior School. For the last 3 years, all children attending the infant school secured places at the Junior school, so it is likely that there will not be any impact on surrounding schools. Special Educational Needs The schools do not provide a specialist resource provision (SRP) or a Designated Unit (DU) recognised by the local authority as being reserved for children with special educational needs. Children with s pecial educational needs will continue to receive the same high levels of support in the primary school. Travel Both Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School are located on the same site so there will be no travel implications. Financial implications As detailed in the Schools operational guide: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK, ‘where schools amalgamate after 1 April 2025, the new school will receive funding equivalent to the formula funding of the closing schools added together for the appropriate proportion of the year. This means that they receive the combined lump sums for the remainder of the year and 70% of the second lump sum in the following year. Local authorities may apply to provide a second year of protection. This needs to be discussed and agreed with schools forum’. Process for making representations (objections and comments) Within four weeks from the date of publication of this proposal, from Wednesday 29th January 2025 to Friday 7th March 2025, any person may object to or make comments on the proposal. During this time any person can send written representation to the Council directly to have their views on the proposals taken into consideration by the decision maker. You can respond to the by: • Completing the online questionnaire by visiting the consultation page www.hillingdon.gov.uk/consultation • Emailing schoolplaceplanning@hillingdon.gov.uk. • Submit a written response to: School Place Planning Team, London Brough of Hillingdon, Civic Centre, 3N/01, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW All consultation responses must be received by 5pm on Friday 7th March 2025. The consultation will involve a drop-in session for anyone affected by the proposal where Officers will be on hand to answer questions in person and to explain the proposal as necessary. This opportunity will be also offered virtually for stakeholders to atten d if that is more convenient. Drop-in Session Location Date/Time Session Grange Park Infant and Nursery/Junior School Lansbury Drive Hayes UB4 8SF Wednesday 12th February 2025 2:00pm – 3:00pm (parents/carers/residents) 3:30pm – 4:30pm (staff members) Drop in – Question and Answer On-Line session Location Date/Time Session Microsoft Teams Join the virtual meeting Thursday 13th February 5:00pm – 6:00pm On-line - Question and Answer Decision Hillingdon Local Authority will be the decision maker . They must satisfy themselves that an appropriate fair and open local consultation has been carried out. The Local Authority will decide within two months of the closure of the consultation period. When the decision has been taken , the Local Authority will publish the outcome of the decision on their website and communicate the outcome to relevant stakeholders in writing. A copy of this consultation is also available at: • Grange Park Infant and Nursery website • Grange Park Junior School website Alternatively, you can make contact with the Council or the schools through the email or postal addresses below to request a hard copy of the consultation documents. • Email: o School Place Planning, Hillingdon Council - schoolplaceplanning@Hillingdon.gov.uk o Grange Park Infant School Governing Body - clerktogovs@gpin.school o Grange Park Junior School Governing Body – enquiries@grangeparkjuniorschool.co.uk • Writing to: School Place Planning Team, London Brough of Hillingdon, Civic Centre, 3N/01, High Street, Uxbridge, UB8 1UW • Hard copies of this proposal can also be obtained by contacting: o Grange Park Infant School, Lansbury Drive, Hayes, UB4 8SF o Grange Park Junior School, Lansbury Drive, Hayes, UB4 8SF

Frequently Asked Questions What are some of the advantages of the proposed amalgamation? The proposal to amalgamate the schools is underpinned by the intention of the Governing Body of the Junior School and the Council , with the support of the Governing Board of Grange Park Nursery and Infant School in line with the Hillingdon Council policy, to further improve the quality of provision already in place at both schools by ensuring a consistent and continuous approach to teaching and learning throughout children’s time at Grange Park. It will also enable the Governing Body, Headteacher and staff to plan pastoral support for pupils from Nursery to Year 6. Finally, the proposal will enable the two schools to merge and strengthen their community links and to build on the extended school programmes in place in both schools. Educational advantages for pupils • The proposed amalgamation would eliminate the Infant to Junior School move at the end of Year 2 removing any anxiety this might cause, as well as interruptions to learning. • Enhanced curriculum planning which can take into account all three stages of the primary phase of education (Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2) so that children make the best possible progress in their learning and development during their time at Grange Park; • A consistent approach to the ways in which children are taught and supported , recognising the current strengths of both schools. • Being able to monitor children’s progress from age 3 to age 11 would enable staff to build up a comprehensive understanding of each child and build consistently on their achievements throughout their time at Grange Park. • Continuity of experience and provision, which could be especially important for vulnerable children and those with special educational needs. • Increased opportunities for children in all key stages to come together for pastoral, social and creative activities. • Improved safeguarding through seamless knowledge of children throughout their time at Grange Park. • Would allow consistency of policy and planning across key stages as well as the potential for cross-phase policies with a key stage specific focus. Advantages for school families • Consistency of parental involvement throughout the primary phase of education by having the ability to foster longer-term relationships with families within one school; • Communication between school and parents will be simplified, especially for parents with children in both schools. It would remove any duplication and ensure a joined up approach for events, training and other matters; • Removes the need for parents to apply for a place at the Junior School as children would automatically continue their education as part of one Grange Park school. Advantages for the leadership and governance • A single leadership team providing vision and continuity from Nursery to Year 6; • The opportunity to build partnerships with children, parents and families over a longer period of time. • Working in partnership as one school within the community. • A single larger staff team would provide a wider range of expertise and greater resilience. • The p otential to attract from a wider pool of teaching and support staff due to greater career opportunities provided by an all through primary school. Advantages for the staff • Increased career development opportunities through the sharing of a wider range of expertise and the possibility to gain experience and an understanding of all Key Stages. • Continuous assessment, tracking and target -setting procedures for the entire primary phase of education; • Opportunities to use the accommodation of both schools more effectively to support teaching and learning; • Stability of staffing and increased opportunities for staff retention through improved staffing structures. Advantages for the use of resources • Increased sharing of resources and expertise would benefit both children and staff and avoid unnecessary duplication. • As one school there is the potential to improve the use of school facilities e.g. specialist teaching spaces, reception areas, outdoor areas; • Greater opportunity for cost effectiveness through economies of scale e.g. in purchasing, ensuring the best provision possible for the children; • A larger workforce with a broader range of shared expertise. What are the risks in amalgamating the two schools? Hillingdon Council and the Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School consider that the proposed amalgamation would bring a range of benefits and opportunities to the schools’ pupils, staff and families as outlined above. One possible risk is that the amalgamation process may distract governors and staff during the year with some uncertainty until legal decisions are taken, and then with implementation work required after legal decisions. This work includes the alignment of processes, procedures, ethos and culture . To mitigate this risk, the schools are working closely together, and with Hillingdon Council to minimise the impact upon pupils, and governor and staff time to ensure that the process runs as smoothly as possible. Also, pursuing this route (i.e. an amalgamation) would be more complex and time consuming in the short term than simply recruiting a new headteacher for the Infant School. An amalgamation may also be unsettling to staff and would need to be carefully managed. The Governing Body is committed to undertaking all steps of this process in an open and transparent way, with the best interests of the schools at heart. The timetable outlined in the proposal allows sufficient time to deliver the amalgamation, although sometimes a longer period is considered. As outlined above, if the proposed amalgamation progresses, the implementation of the amalgamation will be dealt with through collaboration of the staff and leadership teams across both schools. The 2 school leadership team s are working closely together at this time, to plan for any potential changes, and support closer working relationships. There are a number of other possible risks that are common to all schools – such as staff recruitment and retention, pupil numbers in the local area changing, and school funding decisions by the Department for Education. Amalgamation is not considered to i ncrease the risk of any of these issues and indeed may help reduce or manage the risk compared to remaining as separate infant and junior schools. Whatever the outcome, the Governing Body of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and the Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School, staff and the Council, continue to be committed to the high level of provision and support for all children and families for which the Grange Park schools are well known for. How would the new school be created? It is important to emphasize that the Governing Body of Grange Park Nursery and Infant School, Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School and Hillingdon Council are approaching this to allow the proposed amalgamation to take the best features of both schools into the new school. The proposed process involves the following steps: • Closing Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and transferring pupils, staff, land, buildings and equipment to Grange Park Junior School on 31 August 2025 • Extending the age range of Grange Park Junior School from Years 3 to 6 to Nursery to Year 6 (and changing its name to reflect the full primary age range) with effect from 1 September 2025 Will there be any changes to the size of the school and the school buildings? No, the size of the school and building will remain exactly the same. The proposed Primary school will have a published admission number equal to the sum of the current Infant, Nursery and Junior Schools’ numbers. Therefore , there would be no change to the capacity of the proposed amalgamated Primary school if the decision were made to proceed. Does the amalgamation affect school funding? The education budget that the Council receives from government is ‘ring-fenced’ and can only be spent on education – so there is no saving to the Council through amalgamation. The budget for each individual school is determined by a formula that includes s ome amounts for every school but is mainly determined by the number of pupils. There are many primary schools in the borough the same size as the proposed new primary school, and they are able to provide effective education within their budgets. As detailed in the Schools operational guide: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK, ‘where schools amalgamate after 1 April 2025, the new school will receive funding equivalent to the formula funding of the closing schools added together for the appropriate proportion of the year. This means that they receive the combined lump sums for the remainder of the year and 70% of the second lump sum in the following year. Local authorities may apply to provide a second year of protection. This needs to be discussed and agreed with schools forum’. What will happen if the amalgamation does not proceed? The schools would remain separate and the governing body of the Grange Park Infant School would appoint a new permanent headteacher. Will the school rename itself to Grange Park Primary School if the schools amalgamate? If the schools do progress to amalgamation then the governing body together with Mrs Madar (Headteacher at Grange Park Junior school) would consult with staff, parents and carers on a possible new name for the all-through primary school. Who would be the governors of the proposed new Primary School? The Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School will consult with the Governing Body of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and review its Instrument of Government to ensure it accurately records the term of office for each category of governor as well as the name of the school and membership of governors needed to support the school with a balanced and effective governance structu re. It is envisaged that the new Governing Body will comprise of a combination of Governors of both current schools. Will there be a new uniform? The decision on accepted uniform and when it will be introduced will be confirmed by the Governing Body of Grange Park Junior School if amalgamation is progressed. What would the school admissions arrangements be if there is an amalgamation? The admissions process would be simplified, as there would be no need for families to submit an application for a Junior School place. Children attending the school in Year 2 would automatically move to Year 3. There would be no changes to the admissions arrangements for Nursery and Reception. Who will be parents’ first point of contact if the schools amalgamate? Will there just be one reception team? It is too early at this stage to know exactly how the school support team would be structured. If the schools do amalgamate, arrangements for contacting the school would be simplified, as there would likely be a single office email address and telephone number. If an amalgamation goes ahead, would everything just be ‘done the junior way’? The Governing Body recognises that the schools each have their own unique values and want to ensure that those of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School are not lost if the schools do amalgamate. If the amalgamation is approved, the Governing Body of the Junior School would be keen to seek the opinion of staff and families regarding what works well and what makes the schools special. Who would be the head teacher of the Primary School if amalgamation goes ahead? Mrs Rena Madar (current Headteacher of Grange Park Junior school) Will there be any job losses if amalgamation progresses? The staffing structure would be considered in detail by the schools if the amalgamation is formally approved. This would involve further consultation with staff and trade unions, as appropriate by the school. Will staff have the opportunity to work across different key stages (EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2) if amalgamation progresses? This will be a decision for the school , but in principle yes, becoming a Primary School would give staff the opportunity to gain experience in different key stages where they were interested in doing so. This would be based on individual preferences and the school’s requirements, and the school would decide how this would work in practice. Will there be any changes to the Senior Leadership Team structure if amalgamation progresses? It is too early in the process to confirm what the Senior Leadership Team structure might look like. Staff would of course be consulted by the school on any changes . Any consultations would include a timeframe for any changes. This would be the responsibility of the school. Will there be any changes to subject leaders – i.e. would there be a need for two subject coordinators? It is too early in the process to confirm what a primary staffing structure might look like for the new school. Staff would of course be consulted by the school on any changes to the staffing structures. Any consultations would include a timeframe for any changes. This would be the responsibility of the school. Will teachers be moved into different year groups or key stages? This will be a decision for the school , with some people seeing this as an opportunity to gain experience of a different Key Stage. The best interests of the children will also obviously be in mind when decisions are made too. This would be the responsibility of the school. Will the teachers and support staff stay the same? The Governing Body of each school is the underlying employer in both the Infant and Nursery School and the Junior School. As such, if the proposed amalgamation goes ahead, the place of work for employees will change to the Primary School. If the decision is made to amalgamate the two schools, then a staffing structure for the Primary and Nursery School would be drawn -up as part of the planning process and both staff and recognised trade unions would be consulted on this. Will there be any changes to the size of the school and the school buildings? No, the size of the school and building will remain exactly the same. The proposed Primary School will have a published admission number equal to the sum of the current Infant, Nursery and Junior schools’ numbers. Therefore, there would be no change to the capacity of the proposed amalgamated Primary School if the decision were made to proceed.

Appendix 5 – Academy Research of the benefits of Amalgamation Academic Research of the benefits of Amalgamation 1. "The Impact of School Amalgamation: A Study of the Effects of Amalgamating Infant and Junior Schools" - Author(s): McGhee, D., & McNaughton, S. - Date: 2000 - Summary: This study examines the effects of amalgamation on educational outcomes, demonstrating improvements in school cohesion and student performance. 2. "Moving Towards Primary School: The Benefits of Amalgamation" - Author(s): Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Manni, L. - Date: 2007 - Summary: This research highlights the benefits of transitioning to a primary school model, focusing on continuity in education and improved social and emotional development for children. 3. "Primary School Amalgamation: The Impact on Educational Attainment and Social Development" - Author(s): Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. - Date: 2012 - Summary: This paper discusses the relationship between school amalgamation and higher educational attainment, along with enhanced social skills among students. 4. "A Review of Literature on School Amalgamation: Challenges and Opportunities" - Author(s): McKinsey & Company - Date: 2010 - Summary: This literature review synthesizes various studies on school amalgamation, concluding that merging schools can lead to better resource utilization and improved educational environments. 5. "The Effects of Amalgamation on School Performance: A Longitudinal Study" - Author(s): Wiggins, R. & Cummings, C. - Date: 2015 - Summary: This longitudinal study investigates the long-term effects of amalgamation, finding positive trends in student achievement and school satisfaction ratings post-merger. 6. "Amalgamation of Schools: A Policy Review" - Author(s): Department for Education (DfE) - Date: 2014 - Summary: This governmental report reviews various amalgamation policies across the UK, showing evidence of improved educational outcomes and resource Appendix 5 – Academy Research of the benefits of Amalgamation efficiency in schools that have merged. 7. "Continuity and Change: The Impact of Primary School Amalgamation" - Author(s): Smith, D., & Brown, T. - Date: 2016 - Summary: This research explores how amalgamation fosters continuity in children's education, leading to better integration and smoother transitions between year groups. 8. "A Study of the Educational Benefits of Amalgamating Infant and Junior Schools" - Author(s): Ball, S. J., & Youdell, D. - Date: 2012 - Summary: This study emphasizes the educational benefits of creating a unified primary school system, including enhanced curriculum continuity and improved student support services. 9. "The Impact of School Amalgamation on Community: A Case Study Approach" - Author(s): Cummings, C., & Dyson, A. - Date: 2011 - Summary: This case study highlights the positive community impacts of school amalgamation, including increased parental involvement and stronger community ties. 10. "School Amalgamation and Student Outcomes: Evidence from the UK" - Author(s): McMahon, D. & O'Neill, R. - Date: 2018 - Summary: This research assesses student outcomes before and after amalgamation, finding significant improvements in academic performance and social integration.

Children, Families & Education Select Committee Part I – Public ANNUAL STANDARDS OF EDUCATION IN HILLINGDON REPORT 2023/2024 Committee name Children, Families & Education Select Committee Officer reporting Michael Hawkins, Head of Education & Lifelong Learning Papers with report Annual Standards of Education Report 2023-24 Ward All HEADLINES This report provides the Committee with an overview of the standards and quality of education across Hillingdon schools and settings for Hillingdon’s children, young people and adults for 2023- 24. The report usually focuses primarily on attainment, progress and achievement for the preceding academic year along with references to wider measures of educational success. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Committee: 1. Note the key findings set out in the report; and 2. Provide comments to the Cabinet Member for consideration. SUPPORTING INFORMATION Please see the attached Annual Standards of Education Report 2023-24. PERFORMANCE DATA This is within the report. RESIDENT BENEFIT This report allows Elected Members to have an overview of the standards and quality of education services available to Hillingdon residents. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS There are no financial implications arising from this report. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS There are no specific legal implications arising from this report. Whenever necessary legal advice is given in relation to specific issues as they arise to ensure that the Council always meets its legal obligations. Children, Families & Education Select Committee Part I – Public BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL. APPENDICES NIL.

Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 1 Annual Standards of Education in Hillingdon Report 2023/24 Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 2 Contents Page Number Acronyms 3 Executive Summary 4 Part 1 Education Improvement and Impact 5 Part 2 Vulnerable Children and Young People’s Outcomes 19 Part 3 Educational Performance 45 Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 3 Acronyms Used in Report AP Alternative Provision CI Critical Incident CME Children Missing Education CYP Children or Young Person DfE Department for Education DU Designated Unit ESBA Emotional Based School Avoidance EBSNA Emotional Based School Non-Attendance EET Education, Employment or Training EHCP Education Health Care Plan EHCNA Education Health Care Needs Assessment EHE Elective Home Education EHN Early Health Notification ELSA Emotional Literacy Support Assistant EPS Education Psychology Service ESF Early Support Funding ESOL English for Speakers of Other Languages EYs Early Years EYFS Early Years Foundation Stage EYQIT Early Years Quality Improvement Team FAP Fair Access Panel FSM Free School Meals GLD Good Level of Development HLP Hillingdon Learning Partnership IC Inclusion Commitment IYFAP In Year Fair Access Panel LAIT Local Authority Interactive Tool LAC Looked After Child MAT Multi Academy Trust MSP My Support Plan NASEN National Association for Special Educational Needs NEET Not in Employment, Education or Training OAP Ordinarily Available Provision PAN Pupil Admission Numbers PEP Personal Education Plan PVI Private, Voluntary, or Independent RI Requires Improvement SAO School Attendance Order SARR Schools At Risk Register SAS SEND Advisory Service SC Studio College SCERTS Social, Communication, Emotional Regulation, Transitional Support SEF Self-Evaluation Framework SEMH Social, Emotional & Mental Health SEND Special Educational Needs & Disabilities SENDIASS Special Educational Needs Disabilities Information Advice & Support Service SN Statistical Neighbours SRP Specialist Resource Unit SSP School Place Planning UASC Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children UTC University Technical College Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 4 Executive Summary The Annual Standards of Education in Hillingdon Report for 2023-24 provides an overview of the standards and quality of education across Hillingdon schools and settings for Hillingdon’s children, young people and adults. To support further improvement of standards in Hillingdon the report identifies specific areas for action with schools, settings and partners and is divided into three sections: Part 1 – Education Improvement and Impact The Education Priorities for the next five years were identified in 2023-24. These are:  No Early Years setting was OFSTED rated below ‘Good’ by the end of the academic year.  Only 0.7% of PVIs and childminders were rated below ‘Good’ in OFSTED inspections.  Only 6% of our schools were rated by OFSTED as below ‘Good’.  For school places, Hillingdon was ranked the top London local authority on Primary National Offer Day, with 95.68 per cent of children being awarded their first-choice primary school place.  On National Offer Day every Hillingdon child or young person was offered a secondary school place. Part 2 – Vulnerable Children and Young People’s Outcomes  Looked After Children’s attainment and progress in Key Stages 2, 4 and 5 continue to improve from previous years. Since the pandemic ended, there has been a notable drop in their school attendance with many of our children reluctant to attend school and displaying traits of Emotionally Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 5 Based School Avoidance (EBSA). There has been a significant drop in the number of LAC pupils receiving a suspension compared to previous years.  For SEND children, there has been a decrease in growth of Education Health Care Plans (EHCP) in 2024, largely due to successfully ceasing EHCPs for post 16 and 19 years old who go on to university or find employment. The gap in attainment between SEND and non-SEND children has either been static or has widened from the previous year.  During 2023-24, 615 children were electively home educated, a significant increase on previous years.  During 2023-24, Hillingdon processed a total of 991 referrals for children missing education. 523 of these were referred by primary schools and 468 were referred by secondary schools.  Attendance rates in schools improved in 2023-24 compared to the previous year.  The number of permanent exclusions issued decreased by 22% compared to the previous year and is the lowest rate Hillingdon has seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, down to 40 exclusions.  NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) rates remained consistently low, between 0.8% and 2.6%, with early -year increases linked to transition challenges but stabilising after February 2024.  The gap in achievement between non -disadvantaged and disadvantaged young people remains significant within Hillingdon, although positive compared to national figures. The gap in Early Years increases until the end of Primary schools and reduces by the end of Ket Stage 4 , but remains significant. Part 3 – Educational Performance  Early Years – 66.7% of children achieved a Good Level of Development (GLD), behind slightly national, regional and statistical neighbour outcomes.  Phonics – Hillingdon children continue to achieve better than nationally, but worse than other London boroughs.  Key Stage 2 Reading, Writing and Maths combined – Hillingdon outcomes continue to be better than national but are behind regional outcomes.  Key Stage 4 – GCSE outcomes were similar to the previous year (49.3%), ahead of national (46.2%), but behind regional (50.9%) and statistical neighbours (52.7%). GCSE outcomes with English and Maths combined at Grade 5+ followed a similar national and regional pattern 53.3%, 46.6%, 55.3% and 58.3% respectively.  Key Stage 5 – A Level results were slightly behind national and regional outcomes. The Average A Level grade for Hillingdon was C, compared to B- and C+ regionally and nationally. The Average Point Score for the best 3 A Level entries was C+ for Hillingdon and B- for national and regional. Statistical neighbour data was not available at the time of creation of the report. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 6 Part 1 Education Improvement and Impact Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 7 Resetting Our Priorities – Building on Our Strengths Together to Tackle the Issues We Face 1. In 2023-24, we identified Hillingdon’s Education Priorities for the next 5 years, 2025-30. These were based on a combination of hard and soft data: education outcome data; other data such as attendance and exclusions figures and feedback from young people about their education. Our education priorities are set out in the graphic below. Our priorities are also national issues across education. The priorities also align to the direction of travel from central government and His Majesty’s Inspectors in the coming years. 2. Hillingdon’s schools, settings, academies and further education providers have many stre ngths, evidenced by some excellent outcomes for our young people. Our results are regularly above the national average and some of our settings have some of the best outcomes nationally. However, when we compare ourselves with other boroughs across London and with our statistical neighbours, our results are not as strong. 3. The reason for this can be seen in Priority 3, especially the educational achievement of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is to say young people: a. Eligible for Pupil Premium funding, due to receiving Free School Meals or because they are a Looked After Child. Children of armed forces personnel. b. White British and Black Caribbean young people, who have been persistently underachieving before the pandemic and subsequently. c. Other disadvantaged groups, such as those of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller heritage. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 8 d. Young people with SEND needs, including those on the SEN register and those with an Education, Health Care Plan (EHCP). 4. Our non-disadvantaged young people are generally performing very well , but the gap between the disadvantaged groups is large and starts at Early Years and continues into post-16 education. If we can improve this situation, Hillingdon’s overall outcomes will increase, something which other London boroughs have been doing successfully. Putting Our Residents First - Raising Standards in Education 5. Putting residents first is central to the work of the Council. This includes fulfilling its duty to ensure that its statutory education functions are discharged with a view to promoting high standards, ensuring fair access to opportunity for education and learning and promoting the fulfilment of learning potential for all learners. 6. The national education and employment landscape is going through a period of great change and the Council is working to ensure its residents have access to the very best education , employment and training opportunities. 7. 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 for school places across the primary and secondary sectors. The mixed economy of Council maintained and academy/free schools in the Borough mean that the Council acknowledges its dynamic but central role in securing the best outcomes for children and young people educated in the Borough. Working in partnership with autonomous 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, no matter where learners are educated. 8. The Council accepts that it has an important role to play in promoting high standards for all learners , and particularly those children, young people and adults vulnerable to underachievement, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those from disa dvantaged backgrounds. To undertake this role effectively, the Council uses its resources to monitor, support, challenge, and intervene in schools where concerns arise. 9. It does this by: a. Collating and analysing the performance of all state funded schools in Hillingdon to identify those at risk and those in need of additional support or intervention. b. Monitoring and challenging the performance of individual schools for all pupils, specific groups of pupils and individual pupils. c. Working effectively with services for vulnerable children both within the Council and beyond to access support swiftly where concerns are noted or where opportunities for learners are not to a good standard. d. Brokering support for schools from other schools and national organisations where needed. e. Where necessary, exercising formal powers of intervention where there are concerns in our maintained schools or notifying the Regional Director of concerns in Academy schools to drive up standards. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 9 Priority 1: Every Young Person Benefits from a High Quality, Inclusive Education in a Good School or Setting Ofsted Inspection of Early Years & Foundation Stage (EYFS) 10. Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) Childcare Providers - Ofsted Outcomes We currently have a total of 93 PVI settings Not yet inspected Outstanding Good Requires Improvement Inadequate 10 11 72 0 0 The following table demonstrates the percentage of Hillingdon's PVI Ofsted outcomes over the past 3 years in relation to national Ofsted data (published in August 2024): Summary (Good or better) Outstanding Good Requires Improvement (RI) Inadequate National LBH National LBH National LBH National LBH National LBH 2021/22 78% 93% 17% 16% 61% 77% 7% 3.5% 14% 3.5% 2022/23 96% 95% 18% 15% 78% 80% 3% 3% 1% 2% 2023/24 96% 100% 16% 11% 80% 89% 2% 0 2% 0 Source Childcare_providers_and_inspections_charts_and_tables_as_at_31_August_2024_Accessible 11. No setting was graded less than good by the end of the academic year. 12. Settings receive a range of support from the Early Years team. This includes: a. Targeted support for settings graded as Requires Improvement or Inadequate b. Encouraging settings to sign up to Early Years Professional Development Programme (EYPD), access DfE training online and attend EY training offered by the Education services at the Council or by the Hillingdon Learning Partnership (HLP). c. Focussing training and support for both schools and PVI’s on meeting the needs of two -year- olds to support the expansion of early years entitlements. 13. Childminders a. We currently have 181 childminders in Hillingdon. Of these 149 cares for EYFS children. b. Those who do not have EYFS children are graded as met or not met at their Ofsted inspection. We currently have 25 Met and 3 Not met. c. We currently have 19 childminders awaiting their first inspection. 15 of whom care for EYFS children. d. The data for those childminders that have EYFS children in their provision is as follows: Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 10 Outstanding Good Requires Improvement Inadequate 17 116 1 0 e. For childminders who receive an Inadequate or RI judgement they receive one to one support from an EY adviser and support is given to work on the recommendations and actions. f. Newly registered Childminders are supported through our funded childminder buddy programme until their 1st inspection Ofsted Outcomes from Childminder Inspections August 2024 Summary (Good or better) Outstanding Good Requires Improvement Inadequate National LBH National LBH National LBH National LBH National LBH 2021/22 89% 99.5% 15% 10% 74% 89.5% 5% 0% 6% 0.5% 2022/23 96% 100% 12% 14% 84% 86% 2% 0% 1% 0% 2023/24 98% 99.3% 12% 12.7% 86% 86.6% 2% 0.7% 1% 0% Source Childcare_providers_and_inspections_charts_and_tables_as_at_31_August_2024_Accessible 14. Bespoke training is provided in the evenings and at weekends for childminders. These have included:  Preparing for your Ofsted inspection.  Planning and assessment with the new EYFS  Making the most of the outdoors  Meeting the Safeguarding and Welfare requirements  Understanding Prevent  Supporting parent partnership  Recognising patterns in play (schemas)  Cross-curricular learning opportunities  5 to thrive – healthy brain development for young children We also commission Learn Hillingdon to train and support initial childminder training. 15. Key Challenges a. The single most challenging issue in Early Years currently is recruitment and retention of high- quality staff. Staff turnover in settings is higher than ever before and this has a huge impact in supporting quality improvement. Added to this, with the changes to funding and uncertainty that these changes bring, staff morale and confidence is very low and rei gniting a passion for young children’s learning and supporting staff development remains a high priority. b. Within both PVI’s and childminding, it has been recognised that a considerably higher number of children are starting their EY provision with SEND needs than before the pandemic. It is unclear if these are general delay or wider SEND needs. The main areas of concern are in Communication and Language and Personal, Social and Emotional development. We are hoping that our Inclusion Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 11 Pathways project will have a positive impact upon supporting these children. These two areas for development will remain a focus for staff development. Ofsted Inspections of Schools 16. Ofsted continued their full inspection programme which ha ve been a mixture of Section 8 and 5 inspections throughout 2023/24 academic year . Hillingdon received 38 inspections in the academic year 2023/24. Hillingdon's inspection data demonstrates an improvement when compared with the previous year, with 94% of schools overall now judged Good or be tter by the end of the 202 3/24 academic year, compared to 92% of schools judged Good or better in 2022/23. The Council is working with all schools requiring improvement, including academies when requested. 17. The new Free School, rated as inadequate in 2021/22, is still awaiting its first inspection. 18. Summary of Schools in Hillingdon by Ofsted Judgement Final inspection overview 2023/24 (by 31st August 2024) Type of School No. % Outstanding No. Outstanding % Good No. Good % Requiring Improvem ent No. Requiring Improvem ent % Inadequate No. Inadequate Primary All 68 12% 8 84% 57 4% 3 0% 0 Academy 23 9% 2 87% 20 4% 1 0% 0 Maintained 45 13% 6 82% 37 4% 2 0% 0 Nursery 1 0% 0 100% 1 0% 0 0% 0 Maintained 1 0% 0 100% 1 0% 0 0% 0 Secondary All 18 22% 4 61% 11 17% 3 0% 0 Academy 16 25% 4 56% 9 19% 3 0% 0 Maintained 2 0% 0 100% 2 0% 0 0% 0 UTC/SC 4 0% 0 100% 4 0% 0 0% 0 Academy 4 0% 0 100% 4 0% 0 0% 0 Special All 7 14% 1 86% 6 0% 0 0% 0 Academy 5 20% 1 80% 4 0% 0 0% 0 Maintained 2 0% 0 100% 2 0% 0 0% 0 AP/PRU 1 0% 0 100% 1 0% 0 0% 0 Academy 1 0% 0 100% 1 0% 0 0% 0 Maintained 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 All State funded schools in Hillingdon 99 13% 13 81% 80 6% 6 0% 0 Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 12 End of 2023-24 Inspection Summary - Hillingdon verses England 2023-24 2022-23 Judgement Hillingdon England Hillingdon England Outstanding 13% 13% 14% 16% Good 81% 77% 77% 72% Requires Improvement 6% 8% 8% 9% Inadequate 0% 2% 1% 3% Monitoring and Challenging the Performance and Outcomes of Individual Schools 19. The schools' landscape in Hillingdon consists of 99 state-funded settings which include a mixture of Council maintained schools and other settings which have an alternative status - these settings including academies, University Technical Colleges (UTCs) and Studio Colleges (SCs). Approximately 30% of all primaries in Hillingdon are academies, with 70% remaining as maintained schools. In the secondary sector, 90% of all schools are academies with only 10% remaining as maintained settings. In the special school sector, 80% of schools are academies whilst 20% are maintained by the Council. 20. The Local Authority retains the overarching statutory duty regarding the promotion of high standards of education which includes regular interface with all stakeholders in a local area and the sharing of intelligence with national partners including Ofsted and the full range of Department for Education teams. Councils retain responsibility for intervention in maintained settings where standards decline or there adverse Ofsted judgements. The Regional Director in the Department for Education (DfE) retains responsibility for intervention in academies where there is underperformance. 21. The Council monitors the standards and quality of all schools in Hillingdon through: a. Termly analysis of published data b. Information gathered from Council services supporting children and families, c. Ofsted liaison and feedback from Hillingdon’s Regional Director’s office and DfE d. Education Advisor visits to maintained schools e. The early iden tification of schools facing challenges and the brokering of support for school leaders and governors f. Working with the Hillingdon Schools’ Strategic Partnership Board to deliver improvement events and briefings for Head Teachers g. Working in partnership with the Hillingdon Learning Partnership (HLP) Performance Outcomes 22. There were 13 schools on the Council’s ‘Schools At Risk Register’ (SARR) at the end of 2023/24. This is an increase of 4 on the previous year. The reasons schools could be at risk cover a range from: poor Ofsted judgements, poor pupil outcomes , leadership concerns (including governance), finance pressures, stakeholder complaints amongst others. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 13 Overall - all schools  6/13 schools are primary phase  7/13 schools are secondary phase Primary schools  5/6 schools are maintained (2 are judged Good but at risk and 3 Requiring Improvement)  1/6 school is an academy (1 Requiring Improvement) Secondary / Studio Colleges / UTCs schools  3/7 schools are maintained (all judged Good but at risk)  4/7 schools are academies (3 Requiring Improvement and 1 a new Free School converter previously rated Inadequate and still to be inspected) There is regular and robust information sharing between the Council Education Improvement and Partnerships Service (EIP) and the Regional Director at the D epartment for Education. Evidence based confidence ratings are discussed for schools requiring improvement. The quality of information shared regarding all aspects of maintained or academy schools is strong. 23. In 2023/24 a Three-Tier Support Model for categorising schools for prioritising education improvement support continued:  Universal - schools with an Ofsted rating of ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ with no key areas of concern.  Targeted - schools with some key focus areas of improvement required, including schools which are ‘Good’ but at risk.  Intensive - schools with an Ofsted rating of ‘Requires Improvement’ or ‘Inadequate’ and/or where significant support is required. This enabled the EIP Service to focus their time supporting schools effectively with a package of support appropriately matched to the needs of the various settings in Hillingdon. Each maintained school is offered a range of universal support, including an annual education advisor vis it, professional development opportunities led by the HLP or by the Education teams at the Council. Targeted and Intensive support schools receive regular, practical , school improvement visits to ensure there is swift progress on their improvement plans. This may involve brokering support or direct education adviser support. Good Practice from London Councils 24. The Council works closely within our West London Partnership. Various Council services are part of service level boards where they undertake joint working, reciprocal agreements, share good practice, initiatives, performance, and outcomes data. Throughout this report you will note where data has been sourced via the West London Partnership or London wide. Mental Health and Wellbeing 25. Addressing mental health and resilience for young people and for school staff continues to be a high priority. Education services work closely with health professions, social care and third sector providers to ensure there is a range of effective wrap around support to young people, their families and the schools who support them. In 2023-24, the range of support offered to young people and staff included: a. Government funded Mental Health Lead training for senior leaders in school. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 14 b. A mapping of mental health provision across all schools alongside Health to identify where new support needs to be deployed. c. Sharing the mental health support available to young people and their families with schools, close liaison with Stronger Families and now the Family Hubs and close working with the Thrive Network lead by Health . This network will provide a holistic network of support across local authority SEND & Education services, health partners and third sector colleagues. Sharing of information enables effective collaboration and signposting for children, young people and their families. d. Training for staff o n trauma informed practice, mental health support strategies, emotionally based school non-attendance. e. The SEND Advisory Service (SAS) works within the SCERTS framework (Social Communication, Emotion Regulation, Transactional Support). The SCERTS® Model. SCERTS is also integral to the Inclusion Commitment school development programmes (a 1 -year intensive package of CPD, provision review and support for settings). f. The Inclusion Commitment offers a S ocial, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) pathway which will cover ‘trauma informed practice’ and ‘Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)’. g. The use of an Educational Psychologist with an SEMH/Behaviour specialism who will work as an SEMH advisor supporting pre -statutory SEMH needs in strong collaboration with Health Partners and the existing Education Psychology service. School Place Planning Overview 26. The Council has a statutory responsibility to secure sufficient early years and school places for children resident in Hillingdon. These places need to be appropriate, sustainable, viable and meet local and specialist needs. Key Headlines for 2023-24 are: a. Primary rolls overall have experienced a continued decline each year since 2019, a total 1.3% decline from October 2 023 to October 20 24. Reductions in primary schools Pupil Admission Numbers (PAN) have been actioned in multiple schools where there is a clear surplus of vacant places. b. At secondary, the number of children on roll has increased in line with projections, which predicted a peak in year 7 admissions in September 2023 followed by a gradual decline as smaller primary year groups age through. Temporary extra places above PAN have been offered by some schools for Year 7 each September since 2019 to ensure that all residents receive an offer of a place on National Offer Day . A planned permanent expansion open ed at one school in Autumn 2023. Further expansions are not expected to be required due to the lower primary numbers coming through the system. c. To meet the growing demand for special school places, a programme of capital works to expand and create new special schools , mainstream Specialist Resource Provisions (SRPs) and Designated Units (DUs) in the Borough had been agreed. 27. School Place Planning (SPP) is reported annually via the School Organisation Plan for Hillingdon which will present:  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 Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 15  Options in place for the Council to consider when determining the need to increase or reduce school places The following map shows the local authority schools in Hillingdon: School Placements & Admissions 28. Secondary School Places a. Hillingdon council received 3,573 applications for entry into secondary school for September 2024. b. On National Offer Day every Hillingdon child or young person was offered a secondary school place. c. From those, 95 per cent were offered one of their top schools, with 70 per cent of pupils receiving their first choice and 90 per cent offered one of their top three schools. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 16 29. Primary School Places a. Hillingdon was ranked the top London local authority on Primary National Offer Day, with 95.7 per cent of children being awarded their first-choice primary school place. b. Figures released by the PAN London Admissions Board show that the council has once again exceeded the London average of 89.1 per cent to give 3,212 pupils their first choice of primary school. c. Hillingdon also achieved best in west London for applicants being offered one of their top three preference schools at 99.3 per cent, compared to PAN London at 97.2 per cent. d. The council received 3,357 primary school applications, with 99. 5 per cent allocated a school of their preference, which is also higher than the London average of 98.2 per cent. 30. Fair Access The In Year Fair Access Panel (IYFAP) has continued to be effective in its duty to ensure that outside the normal admissions roun d - unplaced children, especially the most vulnerable, are found and offered a place quickly, so that the amount of time any child is out of school is kept to the minimum. We continue to see a minimal number of primary aged referrals considered by the Fair Access Panel (FAP). Key Statistics: a. 2 primary referrals to the IYFAP compared to 0 primary referral in 2022-2023 b. 63% decrease - 132 total number of placements by the IYFAP in comparison to the academic year 2022-2023 where there were 201 placements. c. 63 Year 11 aged children were referred to the panel and this was 47% of the total placements. d. IYFAP placements in 2023-2024 - 92% of placements were for children residing in the south of the borough e. 62% of the placements have been for ‘Children who have been out of education for four or more weeks where it can be demonstrated that there are no places available at any school within a reasonable distance of their home. This does not include circumstances where a suitable place has been offered to a child and this has not been accepted’. f. These statistics include July’s placements however the children will not start until the following academic year (2024/25). Year 11 The general expectation is that mainstream education will be inclusive and that pupils w ith a wide range of needs will be able to access a mainstream school place. However, in recognition of the greater challenges for pupils in Year 11 who were seeking a new school where they are nearing post-compulsory school age, pupils were offered a place at Hillingdon’s Interim Provision, subject to availability. If a school place was required, the case was considered against the eligibility list for referral as a Fair Access placement. If eligibility was met the applicant was allocated a placement through the Fair Access Panel. Placements The table below show the Fair Access placements from September 2023 - July 2024, it also indicates where in the borough pupils were residing. For secondary schools, the north of the borough is determined as above the A40, and south as below the A40, primary schools are determined by planning areas. These referrals reflect all pupils that were taken to the panel, some pupils were not placed but have been included Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 17 in the referrals. Secondary referrals Month/Year Group Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 North South Total per year 1 15 27 24 63 11 119 Total 130 130 Primary referrals Month/Year Group Reception Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 North South Total per year 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 Total 2 2 The month of May will not appear in any statistics as no IYFAP meetings were scheduled in May. Referral Reason Below is a breakdown of the reasons each referral was made to the IYFAP: Referral Reason Total Number of Students Children in alternative provision who need to be reintegrated into mainstream education or who have been permanently excluded but are deemed suitable for mainstream education. 18 Children who have been out of education for four or more weeks where it can be demonstrated that there are no places available at any school within a reasonable distance of their home. 82 Children for whom a place has not been sought due to exceptional circumstances. 3 Children of Gypsies, Roma, Travellers, refugees & asylum seekers. 15 Children either subject to a CIN/a CP Plan/having had a CIN/a CP Plan within 12 months 9 Children from the criminal justice system 1 Children with SEN (without an EHCP) 4 Total 132 Place Planning Areas  Of the 130 secondary school placements made through Fair Access, 119 (92%) children lived in the South of the borough and 11 children lived in the North of the borough.  The panel are mindful of the volume of pupils residing in the south of the borough and will try to allocate a school in the north of the borough where a journey is deemed within a reasonable distance.  If a parent has added a school as a preference which is within the north of the borough the panel will look to allocate this school. This assists with equal distribution and can justify the panel’s decision for allocating a school not within a reasonable distance. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 18 Comparison with Previous Academic Years Below is a comparison of the number of In Year Fair Access Panel placements made this year in comparison to the last three academic years. 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 Month Primary Secondary Total Primary Secondary Total Primary Secondary Total September 1 43 44* 0 19 19 0 21 21 October 0 10 10 0 24 24 0 14 14 November 1 27 28 0 32 32 0 14 14 December 0 9 9 0 29 29 0 10 10 January 0 3 3 0 25 25 0 18 18 February 0 10 10 0 14 14 1 12 13 March 0 11 11 0 22 22 0 7 7 April 0 5 5 0 16 16 1 13 14 June 0 10 10 0 12 12 0 6 6 July 0 6 6 0 8 8 0 15 15 Total 2 134 136 0 201 201 2 130 132 *Three held in September 2021 Appeals Our current Fair Access Policy provides schools with 5 days to contact us and supply factual evidence, that to admit additional children would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources at their school. We will also consider information that we may not be aware of at the time of placement that may evidence the suitability of the plac ement and whether this would be in the best interests of the child. We received 7 appeals received in the academic year 2023/24 from schools against placements. Of the 7 appeals that we received;  2 placements were pursued at the allocated school  1 pupil was allocated an alternative school  4 placements were withdrawn 31. Interim Provision The Interim provision moved to a permanent location at the new Skills Hub site in Yiewsley. The provision has 10 places available.  41 pupils were referred to the Interim Provision in 2023/24. Of this cohort, pupils have come from 17 different countries, speaking 10 different languages. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 19  Of the 41 pupils, 8 were Looked After Children and 7 were on Child Protection plans. This was 37% of the Interim cohort.  All of t his year’s cohort, have been successfully placed at a school as an outcome of the FAP, moved on through the NTS program, accessing an alternative setting, left as they were no longer statutory school age or moved out of the country/borough.  The provision also provided extra support to pupils when a school was not allocated through the panel, or the pupil was at a point in year 11 where it was unreasonable to place them at a school. They supported a pupil who was going through an Education, Health and Care Plan Needs Assessment, and Post 16 support for a pupil with Special Educational Needs. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 20 Part 2 Vulnerable Children and Young People’s Outcomes Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 21 Outcomes for Vulnerable Children and Young People 32. Looked After Children Attainment and Progress Summary EYFS: The EYFS cohort consisted of ten children for this academic year, seven of whom count towards the national indicator. Of this national indicator group, 17 % made a Good Level of Development across the prime areas and across all the E arly Learning Goals. Within this group, all children were indigenous, three had SEND and two resided in Hillingdon. Source: Internal data Key Stage 1: There were six children who completed Key Stage 1 in July 2024; within the cohort one of the children had a SEND, all were indigenous and four were residing in Hillingdon. Of the six children in this cohort, three were in the national indicator. Of these, the Virtual School had expected 33% to achieve Age Related Expectations (ARE) in Reading, Writing and Maths (RWM) based on their starting points from EYFS. Based on their SATs results, 33% met ARE in Reading, Writing and Maths. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 22 Source: Internal data Key Stage 2: There were ten children who completed Key Stage 2 in July 2024. Within the cohort, four had an EHCP and one was receiving SEN Support, three were residing in Hillingdon and all were indigenous. Nine of the children were in the national indicator. The Virtual School had expected 29% of this cohort to achieve ARE in RWM at the end of the academic year. Based on their SATs results, 56% of this cohort met ARE in Reading, Writing and Maths. Source: Internal data Key Stage 4: 20 eligible children completed Year 11 in July 2024. Of this cohort , 50% had Special Educational Needs, 23% were unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) and 67% resided outside of Hillingdon. Of the 20 pupils, 18 were entered for level 2 examinations (GCSEs, BTEC) or equivalent at Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 23 the end of the academic year. The average attainment 8 score was 29, an increase from 21.7 in the previous year, and the average Progress 8 score was –0.49, also improved from the previous year (-1.4). Source: Internal data Key Stage 5: The Virtual School supported 188 Post 16 learners throughout the academic year 2023-24. Level 3 learners accounted for 12% of the cohort. The remainder of those in further education were primarily on ESOL pathways, Functional Skills, BTEC and GCSE qualifications ranging from Entry 1 to Level 2 and apprenticeships. English and Maths Progress: Among national indicator learners who had not achieved a grade 4 or above in English and Maths by the end of Year 11 , 8% successfully attained these qualifications by the end of Year 12. Improving outcomes in this area will be a key focus for the 2024/25 academic year, with targeted support initiatives planned to enhance learner progress. Year 13 Level 3 Outcomes: Among the 11 learners enrolled in the second year of their Level 3 course, eight (73%) successfully completed their final year. Of these , five (63%) have progressed to university, while the remaining three have opted for a gap year, pursuing full-time employment for various reasons. 33. Looked After Children Educational Engagement Summary Attendance & Exclusions Since the pandemic ended, there has been a notable drop in school attendance with many of our children reluctant to attend school and displaying traits of EBSA . The team continue to improve their knowledge and understanding of EBSA and the impact this has on our children. To address this, we provided training Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 24 sessions for the team, schools, and foster carers. The chart below shows the average attendance of our statutory school age cohort across the academic year: Source: eGov Solutions During the last academic year, 11 children received a suspension during their time in care. The total number of learning days lost was 22.5 days. Overall, this means there has been a significant drop in the number of pupils receiving a suspension compared to previous years. Days lost to suspension Number LBH schools & days lost Number OOB schools & days lost Number SEND children 2020 - 2021 76.5 10 58.5 7 18 11 2021 - 2022 70.5 8 23.5 11 47 12 2022 - 2023 113.5 10 33.5 11 80 15 2023 - 2024 22.5 1 2 10 20.5 9 Source: Welfare Call Ltd / eGov Solutions 34. LAC Who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) This year there has been a notable rise in the annual average of children on the Virtual School’s roll reported as NEET for over one calendar month, which stands at 3% higher than the reported average for 2022-23. 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 2023-24 NEET Average % 12.3 10.09 17 20 Minimum % 8.6 10 13 15 Maximum % 17 15 23 25 Source: Internal data Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 25 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) 35. In 2023 Hillingdon had an EHCP growth of 7% compared to the national growth of 11%. We have since seen a decrease in growth in 2024, this is largely due to successful ly ceasing EHCPs for post 16 and 19 years old who go on to university or find employment. 36.The core functions that exist within the SEND Service are: SEND Advisory Service (SAS) – a multi-disciplinary team of professionals. The service comprises of 4 teams: Sensory team, SEND Keyworking , Early Years advisory team and the Schools/Post -16 advisory team. The service provides a tiered level of intervention, from 1:1 support to whole school , SEND professional development programmes and a wide breadth of universal and targeted training for parents/carers and professionals. There is a large focus on early intervention although some elements require input into the EHCP process and provision for children with plans. Educational Psychology S ervice (EPS) - maintaining the statutory delivery in relation to Education Health Care (EHC) needs assessments whilst refreshing and extending the traded offer to schools. This service works closely with the SEND Advisory Service. EHCNAs advice adherence to 6 weeks deadline quarterly remains at 90%. As of 2023 – 2024, 72 schools within Hillingdon signed SLAs (Service Level Agreement) with EPS. Additionally, 2 out of borough schools have signed, as they felt support from EPS in their LAs was not remotely possible. EPS have appointed a Senior EP , Specialist in SEMH (Social Emotional Mental Health) and currently have a live advert for Specialist EP in Early Years. Framework for EP delivery as well a s Traded Offer for Early Years settings ha ve been finalised and shared with the settings. SEND EHCP Team - the existing SEND EHCP Team has is now fully staffed with permanent officers who will work to meet the requirements of the proposed new ways of working and ensure DSG Safety Val ve Plan delivery. 37. The SEND pathway provides 3 tiers of support: 1. SEN Support 2. Early Support Funding - via a ‘My Support Plan’ (MSP) 3. Education, Health and Care Plans The pathway reinforces the requirement for a graduated approach to supporting all children and young people with SEND and will be embedded across the local area. The tiered approach is expected to allow mainstream schools to have greater autonomy over how they utilise resources and support services, as well as having more timely access to funding for SEN, without the requirement to have an EHCP. Closing the gaps in outcomes and progress for vulnerable children and young people is key to ensuring high standards of education in Hillingdon's schools and the Council recognises that outcomes for children and young people with SEND are not yet consistently strong in all schools or across all phases. The role of the Senior SEND Advisor is paramount and they will work alongside the Council’s Education Improvement & Partnerships Team, carrying out SEND Reviews that follow the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) framework in order to evaluate its provision for children and young people with SEND. This includes Early Years, mainstream schools. 38. Percentages of Attainment for Children with SEND Please note Average Progress 8 scores will not be available for the years 2025 and 2026 because of the COVID years where KS2 testing was suspended. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 26 SEN Key Stage 4 2022 to 2024 English and Maths PASS Average Progress 8 score 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 Hillingdon Pupils Standard 9* to 4 Strong 9* to 5 Standard 9* to 4 Strong 9* to 5 Standard 9* to 4 Strong 9* to 5 Avg. P8 Avg. P8 Avg. P8 Not SEN 80.9% 61.3% 77.2% 57.1% 77.0% 59.4% 0.48 0.37 0.37 SEN Support (311) 45.3% 27.4% 33.9% 19.0% 39.7% 21.1% -0.34 -0.26 -0.28 LBH Gap between not SEN & SEN Support (Not SEN - SEN Support) 35.6% 33.9% 44.1% 38.1% 37.3% 38.3% -0.82 -0.63 -0.65 National gap between Not SEN & SEN Support 36.7% 33.3% 35.2% 30.3% 35.0% 30.7% -0.57 -0.55 -0.55 LBH EHCP (129) 15.2% 7.3% 11.4% 4.4% 17.8% 9.8% -1.28 -0.98 -0.94 LBH Gap between Not SEN & EHCP (Not SEN - LBH EHCP) 65.7% 54.0% 65.8% 52.2% 59.2% 38.2% -1.76 -1.35 -1.31 National gap between Not SEN & EHCP 62.3% 48.5% 60.7% 46.6% 54.9% 42.4% -1.43 -1.22 -1.23 Source: NCER Nexus Service Used Nova Report Standard vs Strong Gap and KS4 Att8 Prog8 School List SEN Key Stage 4 2022 to 2024 %Ebacc** 2022 2023 2024 Hillingdon Pupils Standard 9* to 4 Strong 9* to 5 Standard 9* to 4 Strong 9* to 5 Standard 9* to 4 Strong 9* to 5 Not SEN 33.4% 25.2% 57.1% 77.2% 24.5% 33.7% SEN Support (311) 9.8% 7.1% 19.0% 33.9% 9.1% 5.3% LBH Gap between not SEN & SEN Support Gap = Not SEN - SEN -23.6% -18.1% 23.6% 16.3% -15.4% -28.4% National gap between Not SEN & SEN Support Gap = Not SEN - SEN -22.2% -18.0% -21.2% -30.1% -15.8% -20.9% LBH EHCP (129) 1.3% 1.3% 11.4% 4.4% 1.2% 3.1% LBH Gap between Not SEN & EHCP -32.1% -23.9% -45.7% -72.8% -23.3% -30.6% National gap between Not SEN & EHCP Gap = Not SEN - EHCP -28.8% -22.0% -44.4% -59.4% -27.3% -19.7% Source: NCER Nexus Service Used Nova Report Standard vs Strong Gap ** English Baccalaureate Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 27 39. Key Headlines - SEND Advisory Service (SAS) Early Years / Early Health Notification Panel: a. Early intervention is fundamental to SEND services. The Early Health Notification (EHN) process facilitates the early identification of significant SEND, ensuring timely support and efficient planning. b. The Panel's purpose is to enhance coordination and joint planning for children (0-5) with special needs and disabilities by leveraging EHNs and professional referrals to:  Identify and support children with complex needs.  Implement a robust tracking system for 2-year-olds with long-term SEND.  Strengthen joint planning and partnerships for improved outcomes and value for money.  Develop inclusive e arly learning environments and facilitate smooth transitions to compulsory schooling.  Utilise the LBH ‘My Support Plan’ to ensure children enter primary school with comprehensive support.  Review and monitor referrals for the Ruislip Gardens Early Years Assessment Centre. c. The panel ensures that children with complex and long -term SEND have equitable access to quality early years education by reviewing applications from professionals who identify children with significant needs and financial constraints. 40. SEND Reviews SEND Reviews use NASEN's evidence -based framework for self -evaluating SEND provision. Settings assess their leadership, parent partnership, and management with support from their Senior SEND Advisor and the SEND Advisory Service. They may then undertake the Inclusion Commitment (IC), a 1 -year programme to upskill the entire school, including training sessions, parent workshops, ‘Learning Walks’, and drop-in sessions. Progress is reassessed after a year, with follow -up support for those not engaging in development programmes. Key objectives of SEND Reviews:  Develop a consistent approach to inclusion across the borough.  Align services to promote coordinated inclusion in mainstream schools.  Generate sustainable solutions by empowering schools to own the review and improvement process. The aim is that all educational settings within Hillingdon will undertake a self -evaluation of their SEND provision, verified by external professional services e.g., SAS, IQM etc. These will be completed by 2026. Completed SEND Reviews Setting Type Year 1 target Year 1 Data To March 22 Year 2 target Year 2 Data to March 23 Year 3 target Q1 Apr- Jun 2023 Q2 Jul - Aug 2023 Q3 Sept- Nov 2023 Q4 Dec 23- Mar 24 Year 3 Cumulative. Data Apr 22 - Mar 23 Total Cumulative Target Total Cum. PVI 8 7 18 22 24 8 1 14 7 30 50 59 Primary 6 10 19 19 28 4 0 6 12 22 53 51 Secondary 1 1 3 3 6 1 0 3 1 5 10 9 Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 28 Development themes from 22 schools: Year 3 April 2023 – March 2024 Theme % Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) /Quality First Teaching (QFT) 81% Deployment and effective use of support staff 59% Developing an evidence-based approach in relation to the identification of needs process and updating SEND register 33% Progress checks towards developmental targets:  at the start of the SEND Review, schools scored an average of 0 out of 2  at the midterm review settings scored an average of 1.4 out of 2 This indicates that SEND reviews are supporting the identification of school development needs and ensuring attention is directed towards making changes, thus resulting in positive progress scores. Quantitative feedback on SEND Review process: Settings rated various aspects of the process on a scale of 1 -6 (insufficient to excellent). The average score across five questions was 5.8, indicating high satisfaction. Feedback was collected on the overall experience, collaboration, developing OAP , accuracy in identifying strengths and next steps, and the relevance of next steps in developing SEND provision.  The highest scores were for the overall experience and collaboration, achieving 89%.  The second highest score was for the accurate identification of strengths, at 83%. Development themes from PVI Settings: Year 3 April 2023 – March 2024 Theme % Developing Knowledge of Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP) 84% Develop Visuals (timetable, now and next, lanyards) across the setting and within each room developmentally appropriate 87% Developing learning environment that meets of sensory needs of children 67% 41. Early Support Funding (ESF) ESF is the process used to allocate High Needs Block Funding to support schools with pupils who do not have an EHCP but have significant additional needs beyond those that might be expected to be funded from the SEND Notional Budget. This funding is intended for statutory school aged children with needs that exceed what SEND support c an manage, providing short -term additional support to help close the gap for these pupils. ESF is utilised as an effective early intervention funding to reduce the number of children and young people needing an EHCP by meeting their needs early. Percentage of ESF recipients that went on to require an EHCP:  Baseline: 35%  2023/2024: 29% Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 29 This data indicates a positive trend, showing a 6% reduction in the percentage of ESF recipients who went on to require an EHCP from the baseline to the 2023/2024 period. This suggests that the early intervention provided by ESF is effectively reducing the need for EHCPs. ESF Impact Form The impact of ESF on desired outcomes is monitored:  Completed by the referrer at the end of ESF Funding  Measures the impact of ESF Funding on the CYPs progress towards their outcomes listed in their ‘My Support Plan’  Scores are measured at the start and end of academic year Term 1 Pre Term 3 Post Outcome 1 0.08 1.31 Outcome 2 0.05 1.32 Outcome 3 0.03 1.25 Outcome 4 0.07 1.40 Average (Max score 2) 0.06 1.32 96% of respondents said ESF had supported the CYP to make progress towards their outcomes. 42. Education Psychology Service (EPS) Review The improvements in the EPS statutory assessment timeframe adherence have continued at 85-95%. Our traded service has continued to grow this year , and we are now actively trading with at least 75 of schools with more schools requesting additional time. There is now an established link EP to the Virtual School, Refugee Team, and close partnership with SAS Team. There is an agreed package supporting the Virtual School, Refugee Project and a pilot project with the Youth Justice Service. We have also appointed a Senior EP , Specialist in SEMH (Social Emotional and Mental Health) . A Specialist EP in Early Years role is currently vacant, and an advert is currently live. During 2020 – 2024, we have completed four cohorts of the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) Training Programme. All four cohorts, a total of 50 ELSAs are now qualified and maintaining this via regular supervision with the EP team. The EP team has completed a needs analysis of how schools are experiencing Emotional-Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) and the in house 3-day training is offered to schools/settings, professionals each term. Lastly, the EP Service have been providing support for schools with a large number of students who are refugee and asylum seekers. Support has involved providing drop ins and training, as well as working across Education and SEND to provide more targeted support for these children and where appropriate, their families. 43. SEND EHCP Team All requests for an Education Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) are presented to the SEND weekly Panel and decisions made within the statutory 6 weeks' timeframe. The cumulative average in Hillingdon for completing assessments and issuing an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) within 20 weeks is: Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 30 2019 22.7% 2020 34.1% 2021 86.7% 2022 66% 2023 55.5% 2024 66% Shown per calendar year This performance was impacted by the periods of SEND Service being short-staffed. However, successful recruitment has been completed and we will continue to work on meeting the statutory deadline . We currently remain above the London and national average. Engagement and communication with educational settings have been improved through regular liaison between these settings and SEND officers (termly or half termly meetings) , school visits and through a Meet the SEND Team meetings as well as through SENCO Forum and Parent Carer Forums. Workshops and drop- in sessions focused on SEND statutory processes have been offered to settings. Communication with parents and carers has also been improved through coproduction meetings and regular liaison with parents/carers through EHCNA process as well as through the Annual Review process. There are monthly meetings between SEND Service management and parent carer forum representatives and other parent/carer organisations - Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support (HACS), Special Educational Needs Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service ( SENDIASS). This ongoing partnership has resulted in better collaboration between the Council and these organisations. The new Hillingdon SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy 2023 -2028 describes our vision and the outcomes we want for our children and young people with SEND and those who access A lternative Provision (AP). It describes the context within which we work, the principles underlying how we will work and our strategic priorities for the next five years to help deliver improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND and children accessing Alternative Provision. The strategy builds on the work of the previous strategy and has been jointly developed by the London Borough of Hillingdon, the NHS in collaboration with children and young people, Hillingdon Parent Carer Forum and other key stakeholders. 44. Priorities for Children with SEND in Hillingdon 2024/25 Strategic priorities for the SEND & Education Service for the coming year include:  The implementation of the Hillingdon Local Area SEND & AP Strategy 2023-28.  The implementation of the Hillingdon Local Area Partnership SEND& AP Improvement Plan post SEND Ofsted and CQC Inspection.  Continue to build a culture of inclusion within mainstream settings to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.  Continue to develop new framework for banding for Special Schools in co-production with local leaders. Priority 3: Closing the Gap between Disadvantaged Pupils and their Peers 45. All schools continue to receive additional funding from the DfE to raise the attainment and improve the progress of children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds , namely pupils eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) and Looked After Children (LAC). This funding, known as the Pupil Premium grant, Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 31 can be used by schools in any way that they choose but must show an impact on outcomes for children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Schools are held to account for the use of Pupil Premium grant funding by Ofsted through the new inspection framework and also through strong governance at individual school and Local Authority level. 46. Key Headlines:  Early Years: 51.9% of our Disadvantaged cohort achieved a good level of development, 312 - out of 601, compared to 71% of non-disadvantaged cohort nationally.  Key Stage 1: 68.1% of our Year 1 Disadvantaged cohort achieved the expected standard in Phonics, 516 pupils out of 758, compared to national non-Disadvantaged cohort at 83.7%. 52.0% of our Year 2 Disadvantaged cohort achieved the expected standard in Phonics, 159 pupils out of 306, compared to the national non-Disadvantaged cohort at 58.3%.  Key Stage 2 : 45.9% of our Disadvantaged cohort achieved the expected standard in Reading, Writing & Maths, 472 pupils out of 1,029 , compared to the national non-Disadvantaged cohort at 68.0%  Key Stage 4: Our Disadvantaged cohort of 1,016 pupils have an average Attainment 8 Score of 39.8%, 10.5% lower than the national non -Disadvantaged cohort at 50.3%. Our Disadvantaged cohort of 928 pupils have an average Progress 8 Score of -0.21., 0.38 lower than the national non-Disadvantaged cohort at +0.17. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 32 Elective Home Education 47. Elective Home Education (EHE) is a right for all parents to provide education for their children at home, or elsewhere, which does not involve them being registered on a school’s roll. During academic year 2023/24, Hillingdon’s EHE team worked with 615 children in receipt of Elective Home Education. This is a significant increase from previous academic years. Source: internal data 48. Whilst data for this academic year has not yet been published, the graph below shows how Hillingdon’s numbers of children in receipt of EHE compares to other Outer London boroughs and England. Standards of Education in Hillingdon 2023-24 Report Page 33 Source: DfE data: EHE in England. 2022/23 This data highlights that Hillingdon’s rate of children in receipt of EHE has largely risen at the same rate as figures nationally. 49. During academic year 2023/24, Hillingdon processed a total of 251 referrals for children receiving EHE. 87 of these were referred by primary schools and 112 were referred by secondary schools. The chart below shows the reas ons stated for choosing EHE by parents for the referrals received during this academic year. Source: internal data

Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public PERSISTENT ABSENTEEISM REVIEW Committee name Children, Families & Education Select Committee Officer reporting Ryan Dell – Democratic Services Papers with report Appendix 1 – Updated Scoping Report Appendix 2 – Guidance on Policy Reviews Appendix 3 – Revised draft recommendations Appendix 4 – Briefing note with updates and latest data to follow Wards All HEADLINES Background As part of the review into persistent absenteeism, Members are requested to consider findings, conclusions and early draft recommendations in relation to the review for broader discussion and stocktake of the review to-date. Summary The Committee has held six witness sessions. The intention of these sessions was to obtain feedback from a wide range of stakeholders with a view to improving school attendance. 1. At the first witness session Members heard from key officers representing the Council’s Education Team – Kathryn Angelini (Assistant Director for Education), and Sally Edwards (Attendance Support Officer). 2. At t he second witness session Members considered a range of information from other Local Authorities. 3. At the third witness session, the Committee heard from representatives from schools, who discussed their experiences of persistent absenteeism. 4. The fourth witness session afforded Members the important opportunity to hear directly from young people as to their personal experiences. 5. The fifth witness session was attended by key officers from the safeguarding team – Alex Coman (Director for Safeguarding, Partnerships and Quality Assurance) and Donna Hugh (Safeguarding Manager). 6. Finally, the sixth witness session allowed Members to meet with a large number of parents and carers. Members are now requested to start to firm up their conclusions and recommendations so these can be worked up in more detail and ultimately incorporated into the final report to Cabinet. To assist with this, in March 2025, a meeting was held with the Chair, Opposition Lead and Officers to formulate 8 draft recommendations which are presented for consideration and to assist Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public the Committee following a substantial process of distilling all the relevant information and findings from the review. Officers will also provide a briefing note to update Members on updates and progress made since the beginning of the review. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. That the Select Committee consider possible conclusions, findings and draft recommendations in relation to the review; 2. That the Select Committee agree to delegate any further changes to the review recommendations to Democratic Services in conjunction with the Chair and in consultation with the Labour Lead; and 3. Agree to receive the final review report back for consideration with recommendations before submission to Cabinet. SUPPORTING INFORMATION In considering this item, Members should bear in mind the following: 1) Scoping report – looking at the original parameters of the review The updated review scoping report is attached so Members can be reminded of the original Terms of Reference as set out below: 1. To identify the prevalence and patterns of persistent absenteeism in statutory school age children in Hillingdon, including a reference to primary planning areas 2. To explore the root causes and contributing factors of persistent absenteeism in statutory school age children in Hillingdon 3. To consider the impact of persistent absenteeism on academic outcomes on statutory school age children in Hillingdon 4. To understand and explore the nature of partnership working in relation to persistent absenteeism in statutory school age children in Hillingdon, including parents/ carers, young people, teachers, officers and other stakeholders 5. To review the effectiveness of existing interventions and policies in place for children and families struggling with persistent absenteeism in Hillingdon 6. To explore the measures in place f or child protection and safeguarding in relation to attendance 7. To review and identify the trends and patterns of persistent absenteeism when considering demographic factors such as age, race, religion, wealth and disability, as well as considering differences between the North and South of the borough. 8. To review how other Local Authorities, including statistical neighbours, are tackling persistent absenteeism 9. Subject to the Committee’s findings, to make any conclusions, propose actions, service and policy recommendations to the decision-making Cabinet 2) Policy review guidance Members are reminded of the guidance issued on undertaking policy reviews , and asked to consider if the draft recommendations: Children, Families & Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public  Meet the initial aims / objectives of the review (as above)  Be SMART, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound  Not be a short-term fix, but a lasting outcome  Consider the financial aspect, e.g. cost neutral, provide savings or if at a cost, then affordable – and if possible, aligned with the MTFF (budget planning process)  Are based on a broad evidence base as possible and ‘user or resident’ insight  Not create additional bureaucracy, e.g. if it relates to a policy, then to seek to review or amend existing policies (unless there is an absolute imperative for a new policy)  If publicity or wider engagement or education is recommended, to target such communications as best as possible rather than generally  Consider ‘conclusions’ as well as any specific recommendations. 3) Minutes of previous meetings Minutes of the six witness sessions (including the confidential sessions) have been shared, which may assist in Members’ considerations. Committee Members may also wish to bring their own findings and thoughts based upon the various witness testimony received. Democratic Services will then “road-test” any draft recommendations from the Committee, looking at their feasibility with the relevant service area and report back to the Committee to a subsequent meeting, in preparation for shaping the final draft report for the Committee’s approval. RESIDENT BENEFIT It is intended that the review will support the work of the Attendance Support service in helping to shape its ways of working, identifying areas of weakness and how overall engagement with key stakeholders can be improved. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS N/A. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS N/A. BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL. APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Updated Scoping Report Appendix 2 – Guidance on Policy Reviews Appendix 3 – Revised draft recommendations Appendix 4 – Briefing note on with updates and latest data to follow

Children, Families and Education Select Committee Review Scoping Report – 2024 Persistent Absenteeism: Statutory School Age Children in Hillingdon 1. OBJECTIVES Aim of review Following its meeting on 15 November 2023, the Select Committee agreed as its major review to consider the issue of attendance / persistent absence of statutory school age children in Hillingdon, including how this ha s been impacted by the COVID -19 pandemic. This document serves as an introduction to the topic of persistent absenteeism and sets out in general terms the context within local government, the objectives , the challenges and offers a framework for any subsequent review. It is intended that the review will support the work of the Attendance Support service in helping to shape its ways of working, identifying areas of weakness and how overall engagement with key stakeholders can be improved. Terms of Reference The following Terms of Reference are suggested for the review, subject to any changes agreed by the Committee: 1. To identify the prevalence and patterns of persistent absenteeism in statutory school age children in Hillingdon, including a reference to primary planning areas 2. To explore the root causes and contributing factors of persistent absenteeism in statutory school age children in Hillingdon 3. To consider the impact of persistent absenteeism on academic outcomes on statutory school age children in Hillingdon 4. To understand and explore the nature of partnership working in relation to persistent absenteeism in statutory school age children in Hillingdon, including parents/ carers, young people, teachers, officers and other stakeholders 5. To review the effectiveness of existing interventions and policies in place for children and families struggling with persistent absenteeism in Hillingdon 6. To explore the measures in place for child protection and safeguarding in relation to attendance 7. To review and identify the trends and patterns of persistent absenteeism when considering demographic factors such as age, race, religion, wealth and disability , as well as considering differences between the North and South of the borough. 8. To review how other Local Autho rities, including statistical neighbours, are tackling persistent absenteeism 9. Subject to the Committee’s findings, to make any conclusions, propose actions, service and policy recommendations to the decision-making Cabinet 2. BACKGROUND Attendance Support team The Attendance Support team currently consists of eight officers. Context and key information Government statistics have shown that COVID -19 and its aftermath has had a damaging effect on school attendance, which has lasted longer than originally anticipated. The rate of absence in schools in England has increased significantly since the pandemic . The most recent full -year statistics (which cover the 2021/22 academic year) showed an overall absence rate of 7.6%, up from around 4–5% pre-pandemic. Within this, 5.5% of missed sessions were authorised absences and 2.1% were unauthorised. Authorised il lness was the main driver, at 4.4%, (whilst unauthorised holiday absences sat at 0.4%). 22.5% of pupils were persistently absent, which is around double the pre -pandemic rate, and 1.7% of all pupils were severely absent compared to less than 1% pre-pandemic. Prior to the impact of the pandemic, absence and persistent absence had been gradually declining since 2010, but there is no sign of a return to this trajectory. Being in school is important to every child’s achievement, wellbeing, and wider development. Evidence shows that the pupils with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A -Level results. Research found that pupils who performed better both at the end of primary and secondary school missed fewer days than those who didn’t perform as well. In 2019, primary school children in Key Stage 2 who didn’t achieve the expected standard in reading, writing and maths missed on average four more days per school year than those whose performance exceeded the expected sta ndard. Similarly, in the same year, secondary school pupils who didn’t achieve grade 9 to 4 in English and maths missed on average 10 or more days over the key stage than those who achieved grade 9 to 5 in both English and maths. Parents and carers have a legal duty to ensure their child gets a full time-education. Usually, that means going into school from the age of 5 to 16. There are only a small number of circumstances where missing a school day is permitted. A child must attend every day that their school is open, unless: • They are too ill to attend. • Permission has been given by the school in advance for the child to be absent on a specific day due to exceptional circumstances. • A child cannot go to school on a specific day because they are observin g a religious event. It is important to note that this review will also consider persistent attendance prior to the COVID- 19 pandemic. Relevant Legislation  The Education Act 1996  The Children Act 1989  The Education and Inspections Act 2006  The Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006  The Education (Parenting Contracts and Parenting Orders) (England) Regulations 2007  The Education (Penalty Notices) (England) Regulations 2007 External issues and risks Persistent absenteeism can be impacted by a range of factors and challenges, including:  Health Issues: o Chronic Illness: Children with long -term health conditions may face difficulties attending school regularly. o Mental Health: Mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, can contribute to school avoidance.  Socioeconomic Factors: o Poverty: Families facing financial challenges may struggle to provide basic necessities, impacting a child's ability to attend school consistently. o Housing Instability: Frequent relocations and unstable housing situations can disrupt a child's education.  Family Dynamics: o Parental Involvement: Lack of parental engagement or interest in a child's education can contribute to absenteeism. o Family Issues: Family conflicts, such as divorce or domestic violence, can impact a child's well-being and school attendance.  School Environment: o Bullying: Instances of bullying or harassment at school may lead to a child avoiding attendance. o School Culture: Unsupportive or unwelcoming school environments can negatively affect student engagement.  Academic Challenges: o Learning Disabilities: Undiagnosed or unaddressed learning difficulties can lead to frustration and avoidance of school. o Lack of Relevance: Students may disengage if they find the curriculum irrelevant or not challenging enough.  Transportation Issues: o Lack of Transportation: Limited access to reliable transportation can hinder regular school attendance.  Peer Influence: o Peer Pressure: Negative peer influence or the desire to fit in may contribute to absenteeism.  Communication Barriers: o Language: Language barriers, particularly in families with limited English proficiency, can hinder communication between parents and schools. Current data, best practice and research Attendance in Hillingdon The graph below shows Hillingdon’s Statutory School Age attendance rates during the last academic year (22/23) compared to those nationally. Data for statistical neighbours was not available to at the time of writing (Nov 2023). Data: Department for Education Aug 23 The data shows that whilst Hillingdon’s overall attendance and rate of unauthorised absence is broadly in line with figures recorded nationally, our rate of persistent absence is higher. A child who only attends school for 90% or less of the time is classed as a persistent absentee. As we are at the start of the new academic year, there is limited data on attendance available. However, we are able to compare Hillingdon’s rates of attendance and unauthorised absence with national figures. Data: Department for Education 9 Oct 23 The data shows Hillingdon’s overall attendance and rate of unauthorised absence remains broadly in line with figures recorded nationally. Whilst we are unable yet to compare our rate of persistent absenteeism, the figure above demonstrates an improvement on that recorded last year which is positive. Further data and research will be identified as the review progresses. Plan moving forward In May 2022, the DfE published new guidance for attendance in schools ‘Working together to improve school attendance’ which came into effect from September 2022. Broadly speaking, it highlighted: • Improving attendance is everyone’s business. Attendance is never ‘solve d’ and is part of a continuous process. • The law entitles every child of compulsory school age to an efficient, full -time education suitable to their age, aptitude, and any special educational need they may have. It is the legal responsibility of every parent or carer to make sure their child receives that education either by attendance at a school or by education otherwise than at a school. • Where parents decide to have their child registered at school, they have an additional legal duty to ensure their child attends that school regularly. Moving forward, the expectations of schools and local authorities have changed considerably. Under the new guidance, all schools are now expected to: • Develop and maintain a whole school culture that promotes the bene fits of high attendance. • Have a clear school attendance policy which all staff, pupils and parents understand. • Accurately complete admission and attendance registers and have effective day to day processes in place to follow-up absence. • Regularly monitor and analyse attendance and absence data to identify pupils or cohorts that require support with their attendance and put effective strategies in place. • Build strong relationships with families, listen to and understand barriers to attendance and work with families to remove them. • Share information and work collaboratively with other schools in the area, local authorities, and other partners when absence is at risk of becoming persistent or severe. Local authorities are now expected to: • Provide all schools with a named contact in the Attendance Support Team. This includes independent and specialist settings. • Create networking opportunities to share effective practice • Hold termly targeted support meetings with all schools • Be part of multi-agency efforts to improve attendance borough-wide with schools and other partner agencies • Provide formal support to schools, including parenting contracts and education supervision orders • Initiate legal action including penalty notices, parenting orders and prosecution. In Hillingdon, we have already begun much of this work, and we have extensive plans for the academic year ahead. To date, we have: • Rebranded our Participation service to Attendance Support • Developed a new practice model to meet the revised guidelines from the DfE for allocated officers to use when conducting their termly meetings with schools. These meetings will focus on overall attendance and persistent and severe absence, as well having a greater emphasis on the attendance of vulnerable cohorts and those children placed on part-time timetables or in alternative provisions • Published revised guidance on attendance for all schools • Published revised guidance on the use of part-time timetables • Published revised guidance on alternative provision • Successfully delivered a series of webinars and provided training and resources to all schools in the borough to support with the implementation of the Working Together to Improve Attendance guidance for this academic year • Created a more robust system to track and process unauthorised exceptional leave • Engaged with the parents/carers of pupils that had one day of absence in the first week of term in the last academic year or pupils where they have been previously recorded as persistent or severely absent to encourage parents to prepare them for the start of the new term • Created and shared an attendance self-evaluation form for schools to utilise • Taken part in refresher training with legal colleagues in the use of Education Supervision Orders. Over the coming year we have plans to: • Publish a revised borough-wide protocol for the use of penalty notices • Devise a three-year strategy for improving school attendance which utilises the support of statutory partners • Work more closely with colleagues in the Virtual School to promote the importance of attendance of all children with a social worker • Improve communication and advice with schools via virtual drop -in clinics for schools to attend to discuss any concerns regarding attendance. These clinics will be held fortnightly • Invest in our Attendance Support service by providing increased training opportunities in key issues affecting attendance, such as Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA), working with children who have suffered complex trauma and work ing with families who have had negative experiences of education • Develop attendance hubs in parts of the borough or with clusters of schools which may be struggling with particular aspects of attendance and to promote the sharing of good practice. Update: March 2024 On 1st March 2024 the rate of persistent absenteeism in Hillingdon was 19.5% for the academic year. This compares favourably to the national average of 20.6% for the same period. The chart below shows the rate of persistent absenteeism in the borough across the year. Data: Department for Education 1 Mar 2024 With the exception of February where has been a slight decrease, the rate of persistent absenteeism was growing by 1% on average month on month. If this trend were to continue, Hillingdon’s rate of persistent absenteeism could reach 26-28% by the end of the academic year. Although this is lower than last year’s rate of 33.9%, it highlights there is more work to be done to bring this number down even further. Further preliminary data analysis has revealed:  There is little difference in the rate of persistent absenteeism between the genders; the average rate for girls is 19.4% and boys 19.5%.  The rate of persistent absenteeism is highest in our special school settings (38%). The average rate in secondary schools is 22.5% and in primary schools is 16.2%.  The rate of persistent absenteeism in our vulnerable cohorts was: o All children with SEND: 28.4% o Children on an EHCP: 33% o Children in receipt of Free School Meals: 31.3% o Looked After Children: 27.1% o Children in Need: 59.6% o Children on a Child Protection Plan: 40% Progress to date Since the last update was provided to the Committee, the Attendance Support team have made progress in the following areas:  A revised borough-wide protocol has been published on the use of penalty notices.  Training on Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) has been undertaken by all team members and has been offered to key colleagues in all Hillingdon schools.  Four members of the Attendance Support team are undertaking training via the Virtual School in how to work with children who have suffered complex trauma.  Three attendance hubs have so far been held involving schools in the West Drayton, Hillingdon and Ruislip areas, with a further hub planned for Hayes before the end of the Spring term.  Commissioned a deep-dive analysis into attendance and absence for all children with a social worker being undertaken by the Virtual School Project Manager.  Recruitment is underway for an Education Project Manager (12-month role) to support with accelerating progress in attendance.  Planning for fortnightly virtual clinics is underway with a plan to launch in the summer term. Executive Responsibilities The Cabinet Member responsible is Councillor Susan O’Brien, Cabinet Member fo r Children, Families and Education. 3. EVIDENCE & ENQUIRY Lines of Enquiry Lines of enquiry can be expanded as the review progresses or included in relevant witness session reports. However, lines of enquiry may include:  Establishing the historical background of persistent absenteeism in statutory school age children in Hillingdon.  A focus on children and young people and how they have found the service in practice.  Exploring what support functions are in place and whether these can be improved.  The nature of partnership working and how it is combined in practice.  The Council’s responsibilities towards young people and ensuring their access to education.  Officers’ experiences of dealing with persistent absence.  Challenges and barriers faced by young people in attending school.  Improvements/ steps that the Council can implement to encourage improved attendance. Potential witnesses Witnesses will be identified by the Committee in consultation with relevant officers. Surveys, site-visits or other fact-finding events Such opportunities will be identified as the review progresses. A possible survey of suppliers will be considered to provide useful feedback and evidence for the Committee. Future information that may be required Further information may be identified as the review progresses. 4. REVIEW PLANNING & TIMETABLE Proposed timeframe and milestones for the review: Meeting Date (Subject to change as required) Meeting Status: Public/ Private Action Purpose/ theme Witnesses/ officers attending Notes 09 January 2024 Public Confirm topic selection To confirm the subject of the review N/A 01 February 2024 Public Agree updated Scoping Report Information and analysis N/A 14 March 2024 Public Witness Session 1 Setting the scene/ The Council’s role and responsibilities Council Education Officers: Kathryn Angelini , Assistant Director for Education and Vulnerable Children Sally Edwards, Attendance Support Officer 18 April 2024 Public Witness Session 2 The Voice of Other Authorities N/A To ascertain suitable local authorities proactively tackling absenteeism 18 June 2024 Public Witness Session 3 The Voice of Schools & partnership working with Council Schools (e.g. teachers/ attendance officers): Karen Quantrell, Attendance Officer, Haydon School Surjeet Johra, Headteacher, Wood End Primary School A short survey has been sent to all schools to ascertain their views 17 July 2024 Public Witness Session 5 Child Protection/ Safeguarding Children’s Services Officers: Alex Coman, Director of Safeguarding, Partnerships and Quality Assurance Donna Hugh, Safeguarding Manager To explore child protection in relation to absenteeism 15 August 2024 Private Witness Session 4 The Voice of Young People Ash Knight, Children’s Participation Team Manager Jayda Jones, Children's Rights & Participation Officer Young people To hear directly from young people as to their experiences 06 November 2024 Private Witness Session 6 The Voice of Parents/ Carers Parents/ Carers/ Foster Carers 13 November 2024 Public Findings stage To discuss key findings and identify potential recommendations Democratic Services TBC Public Report stage Agree final recommendations and draft report to Cabinet Democratic Services TBC Public Target Cabinet reporting Final report to Cabinet for formal consideration Democratic Services Resource requirements Internal only at this stage. Any recommendations developed may have financial implications and these will be assessed at that stage. Equalities impact None at this stage, pending any findings by the Committee. Background Papers/ further reading  Briefing Paper: Statutory School Age Attendance in Hillingdon  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-improve-school- attendance  Persistent absence for unauthorised other reasons: who is at risk? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  Persistent absence and support for disadvantaged pupils - Education Committee (parliament.uk)  Securing good attendance and tackling persistent absence - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Appendices App A – TBC App B – TBC App C – TBC

Appendix 2 - Guidance on undertaking policy reviews Over the years, Hillingdon’s overview and scrutiny committees have undertaken successful in- depth reviews of Council services and policies. This has resulted in a number of positive changes locally, with some also affecting policy at a national level. Such committees engage Councillors in a wide range of Council activity and build a greater understanding about service provision to residents. Policy reviews generally seek to: 1. Address a [significant] matter affecting the Borough 2. Seek to improve the delivery and/or efficiency of local services 3. Consider changes to policies or procedures to improve outcomes to residents/users REVIEW PHASES The typical phases of a review are as follows and set out further below: 1 Selection of topic 2 Scoping the review / setting out objectives 3 Witness & evidence stage (this is the main activity) 4 Findings and Draft recommendations (possible early report draft) 5 Final report approved by Committee 6 Referred to Cabinet for consideration 7 Monitoring the implementation of recommendations once approved / amended by Cabinet at meetings, i.e. in six months 1. Selection of topic It is always best to sound out and check the feasibility of potential review topics early on, as there will be lots of ideas coming forward and often knowing what topic will add most value will be difficult to gauge at this stage. It is important not to generalise, e.g. a review into waste services. It may also not be known whether a topic is currently under review by the Cabinet or Council officers or part of a planned service transformation in due course. All of this and other factors need to be investigated and in particular, any duplication of review activity should not take place. Whilst most policy reviews last a number of months, not all policy review ideas will suit this and may benefit from a single meeting review. It really depends on the scope of the review. It very narrow, i.e. a particular service policy, then a single meeting review may suffice. If a review seeks to look at an entire way a service operates then a number of months may be required to ensure you can undertake all your witness sessions and secure the necessary evidence and information before you formulate your findings. Ideas for review topics can come from a number of sources including: • Committee Members • Cabinet Members. • Council officers • External partners / organisations • R esidents • Ombudsman findings When Councillors or the Committee itself considers a potential review topic, it is recommended running it through the Scrutiny Topic Scorecard (see Annex A). This gives you the opportunity to ‘score’ topics based upon their impacts under the following criteria: Resident focused Influence Achievable Correct remit New Wider support Drives improvement Drives transformation and efficiency National impact Another way to consider a potential review topic, is to add this as an information item at an upcoming meeting on your work programme, to probe the matter further with Council officers and ascertain whether it merits a fuller review – again perhaps running it through the Scorecard above. It is strongly advised that one review topic is undertaken at any one time, given resources. 2. Scoping report Once a topic is agreed upon by the Committee, then officers will prepare a scoping report setting out the objectives of the review for your consideration. The scoping report will show how the review can be timetabled and structured, i.e. through themed witness sessions, along with details of potential witnesses and other contextual information to get the review started, e.g. lines of enquiry or questioning of witnesses. The scoping report is a ‘live’ document owned by the C ommittee. Should the review’s f ocus change mid-review, then the scoping document and its objectives can be adapted. 3. Witness and evidence stage Ultimately, the Committee’s efforts are at their best when external witnesses and residents participate, adding value to intelligence gathering and findings. In support of this, Committees have undertaken a variety of both formal and informal activity “in meetings” and “outside meetings”. It is important to pull together a broad evidence based for any potential findings later on. Additionally, the ability for Councillors to bring their ‘local’ insight is highly valuable. Activities the Committee can undertake include: ● Surveys / social media ● Promotion of review to seek views ● Invite the relevant Cabinet Member to attend for their views ● Question key council officers ● Hold informal workshops ● Networking events, e.g. with partners ● Have closed meetings, i.e. confidential, such as social care clients ● Commission reports from council officers / externally ● Request data and intelligence on the topic ● Visits to other local authorities ● Undertake site visits within the Borough or council facilities ● Appoint experts or advisors to join the Committee throughout its review ● Selecting the best range of witnesses to get a real user / resident perspectives ● Invite national experts in their field Whilst information will be provided to Councillors, it may be helpful when preparing for this stage of a review, that Councillors: ● Prepare their draft questions for each witness in advance; ● Read a witness bio or find out more about their organisation; ● Do their own additional research on the topic - you may find something officers don’t! ● Use their network of councillors in other local authorities to seek views; ● Tell residents at Surgeries / Ward Walks about your review, get their thoughts. 4. Findings and draft recommendations & 5. Final Report After hearing from witnesses and receiving evidence, the Committee then will meet to pull together all the information and sha pe its collective findings , i.e. what needs to be improved or changed as a result. The Committee will form ‘draft’ recommendations from this, which consistent with the Protocol on Cabinet and Scrutiny Relations, are usually shared with the Cabinet Member for their feedback and valuable insight. In developing any recommendation, the Committee should bear in mind the following: ● Meet the initial aims / objectives of the review ● Be SMART, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound ● Not be a short-term fix, but a lasting outcome ● Consider the financial aspect, e.g. cost neutral, provide savings or if at a cost, then affordable – and if possible aligned with the MTFF (budget planning process) ● Be based on a broad evidence base as possible and ‘user or resident’ insight ● Not create additional bureaucracy, e.g. if it relates to a policy, then to s eek to review or amend existing policies (unless there is an absolute imperative for a new policy) ● If publicity or wider engagement or education is recommended, to target such communications as best as possible rather than generally ● Consider ‘conclusions’ as well as any specific recommendations. Around this time, the Democratic Services Officer supporting the Committee will advise further on findings and drafting recommendations. Throughout this process, their role is critical to the Committee, to guide Members and secure the information and any witness activity that Members wish to undertake. They also work with the Chairman to bring the final draft report for the Committee to approve before it is scheduled to Cabinet. 6. Referred to Cabinet & 7. Monitoring of recommendations The Committee’s report will be shared with the Leader and Cabinet Member and scheduled to a Cabinet meeting as soon as possible. There is a legal requirement for any such report to be considered by the Cabinet. Should Cabinet approve the Committee’s recommendations, then they become official policy and officers are charged with implementing them. A post report review is undertaken in say 6 months or a years’ time to see how the Committee’s recommendations have been implemented. This is scheduled on your work programme. Annex A – Scrutiny Topic Scorecard 2022-2026 Criteria scores showing 1-5 (5 being the highest, 0 the lowest). Then add up the total score. The higher the better review. Topic Resident focused Correct remit Influence New Achievable Wider support Drives improvement Delivers transformation and efficiency National impact Score See criteria descriptions overleaf… Detailed criteria to assess review scoring (5 being the highest, 0 the lowest) Resident-focused – The topic will have high impact on residents and the community, with public interest and scope for making a positive difference (can be universal or a targeted group of people or an area of the Borough e.g. young people or a particular town centre) Correct remit – A topic that is clearly covered in the Committee’s Terms of Reference and does it cut clearly into the domain of other Committees (unless a cross-cutting brief). If it does, then see if you can narrow the focus of the topic. Influence - A topic that relates to a service, event or issue in which the Council is in control of, has a significant stake in or influence over the matter, e.g. with partners. New - A new, fresh topic preferably. One which has not previously been reviewed by a Committee in the last 2-3 years, or which is not currently being reviewed by another Committee or internally by Cabinet Members and Officers, e.g. through service transformation. Achievable – A topic that is not open ended. One where the Committee’s work programme can accommodate the review. Where there is likely to be a good level of expertise and information to draw on to complete. Does the topic need to be narrowed to make it more achievable? Wider support - A topic that is likely to receive buy-in from the Committee and wider Council, e.g. Cabinet Members, Officers. Or support is welcome from partner organisations to review the matter. Drives improvement - A topic where performance levels of a service have dropped on a consistent basis, or the contractor is not performing against agreed standards or there are significance (evidenced) complaints or feedback from residents on the matter. Delivers transformation and efficiency – a topic in support of the Council budgetary objectives, any areas where service re-modelling is under consideration in the medium to longer-term, that with Members’ insight can help to deliver future savings, efficiencies and value for money services to residents. A topic where new ways of working could be adopted to benefit service delivery. National impact – A topic where emerging or recent legislation mean that it would be timely to review the matter to ensure Hillingdon Council is well prepared. Or a topic, that whilst Hillingdon focussed, could potentially be of benefit to other local councils or governmental authorities.

Theme 1: Parental Engagement and Support 1. Officers to continue to work with schools, nurseries and early years centres to educate and inform parents and carers about the importance of school attendance, as a means of early intervention. 2. Officers to investigate the use of the Learn Hillingdon service to educate and inform adult learners (who are parents) about the importance of school attendance. 3. To hold Welcome Programmes for families new to the Borough as a means of early intervention. Theme 2: Mental Health & Wellbeing 4. The Council and schools to continue to work collaboratively on signposting and supporting those families with children and young people who are persistently absent due to poor mental health. Theme 3: School Environment & Culture 5. Council to use Attendance cluster groups to share good practice among schools on a range of topics such as EBSNA, anti-bullying and trauma-informed practice. 6. Council to create a Hillingdon Attendance Awards initiative which encourages pupil attendance across all schools in Hillingdon. Schools that demonstrate an improvement in attendance can be celebrated in newsletters. Theme 4: Data & Monitoring 7. Council to explore how pupil attendance at after school clubs correlates with general pupil attendance within schools. What are the patterns and trends? Theme 5: Collaboration & Community Involvement 8. Council to continue to raise awareness and highlight the importance of school attendance within local community and local partnership groups.

Children, Families and Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public CABINET FORWARD PLAN Committee name Children, Families and Education Select Committee Officer reporting Ryan Dell, Democratic Services Papers with report Appendix A – Latest Forward Plan Ward As shown on the Forward Plan HEADLINES To monitor the Cabinet’s latest Forward Plan which sets out key decisions and other decisions to be taken by the Cabinet collectively and Cabinet Members individually over the coming year. The report sets out the actions available to the Committee. RECOMMENDATION That the Children, Families and Education Select Committee notes the Cabinet Forward Plan. SUPPORTING INFORMATION The Cabinet Forward Plan is published monthly, usually around the first or second week of each month. It is a rolling document giving the required public notice of future key decisions to be taken. Should a later edition of the Forward Plan be published after this agenda has been circulated, Democratic Services will update the Committee on any new items or changes at the meeting. As part of its Terms of Reference, each Select Committee should consider the Forward Plan and, if it deems necessary, comment as appropriate to the decision -maker on the items listed which relate to services within its remit. For reference, the Forward Plan helpfully details which Select Committee’s remit covers the relevant future decision item listed. The Select Committee’s monitoring role of the Forward Plan can be undertaken in a variety of ways, including both pre-decision and post-decision scrutiny of the items listed. The provision of advance information on future items listed (potentially also draft reports) to the Committee in advance will often depend upon a variety of factors including timing or feasibility, and ultimately any such request would rest with the relevant Cabinet Member to decide. However, the 2019 Protocol on Overview & Scrutiny and Cabinet Relations (part of the Hillingdon Constitution) does provide guidance to Cabinet Members to:  Actively support the provision of relevant Council information and other requests from the Committee as part of their work programme;  Where feasible, provide opportunities for committees to provide their input on forthcoming executive reports as set out in the Forward Plan to enable wider pre -decision scrutiny (in addition to those statutorily required to come before committees , i.e. policy framework documents – see para. below). As mentioned above, there is both a constitutional and statutory requirement for Select Committees to provide comments on the Cabinet’s draft budget and policy framework proposals after publication. These are automatically scheduled in advance to multi-year work programmes. Children, Families and Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public Therefore, in general, the Committee may consider the following actions on specific items listed on the Forward Plan: Committee action When How 1 To provide specific comments to be included in a future Cabinet or Cabinet Member report on matters within its remit. As part of its pre -decision scrutiny role, t his would be where the Committee wishes to provide its influence and views on a particular matter within the formal report to the Cabinet or Cabinet Member before the decision is made. This would usually be where the Committee has previously considered a draft report or the topic in detail, or where it considers it has sufficient information already to provide relevant comments to the decision-maker. These would go within the standard section in every Cabinet or Cabinet Member report called “Select Committee comments”. The Cabinet o r Cabinet Member would then consider these as part of any decision they make. 2 To request further information on future reports listed under its remit. As part of its pre-decision scrutiny role, this would be where the Committee wishes to discover more about a matter within its remit that is listed on the Forward Plan. Whilst such advance i nformation can be requested from officers, the Committee should note that information may or may not be available in advance due to various factors, including timescales or the status of the drafting of the report itself and the formulation of final recommendation(s). Ultimately, the provision of any information in advance would be a matter for the Cabinet Member to decide. This would be considered at a subsequ ent Select Committee meeting . Alternatively, information could be circulated outside the meeting if reporting timescales require this. Upon the provision of any information, the Select Committee may then decide to provide specific comments (as per 1 above). 3 To request the Cabinet Member considers providing a draft of the report, if feasible, for the Select Committee to consider prior to it being considered formally for decision. As part of its pre -decision scrutiny role, t his would be where the Committee wishes to provide an early steer or help shape a future report to Cabinet, e.g., on a policy matter. Whilst not the default position, Select Committees do occasionally receive draft versions of Cabinet reports prior to their formal consideration. The provision of such draft reports in advance may depend upon different factors, e.g., the timings required for that decision. Ultimately any request to see a draft report early would need the approval of the relevant Cabinet Member. Democratic Services would contact the relevant Cabinet Member and Officer upon any such request. If agreed, the draft report would be considered at a subsequent Select Committee meeting to provide views and feedback to officers before they finalise it for the Cabinet or Cabinet Member. An opportunity to provide specific comments (as per 1 above) is also possible. 4 To identify a forthcoming report that may merit a post - decision review at a later Select Committee meeting. As part of its post -decision scrutiny and broader reviewing role, this would be where the Select Committee may wish to monitor the implementation of a certain Cabinet or Cabinet Member decision listed/taken at a later stage, i.e., to review its effectiveness after a period of 6 months. The Committee should note that this is different to the use of the post-decision scrutiny ‘call-in’ power which seeks to ask the Cabinet or Cabinet Member to formally re-consider a decision up to 5 working days after the decision notice has been issued. This is undertaken via the new Scrutiny Call-in App members of the relevant Select Committee. The Committee would add the matter to its multi-year work programme after a suitable time has elapsed upon the dec ision expected to be made by the Cabinet or Cabinet Member. Relevant service areas may be best to advise on the most appropriate time to review the matter once the decision is made. BACKGROUND PAPERS  Protocol on Overview & Scrutiny and Cabinet relations adopted by Council 12 September 2019  Scrutiny Call-in App

Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Report Author Corporate Director Responsible Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) 279 Outcomes of the proposal for the Amalgamation of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School The Council are proposing to merge schools. This will involve the closure of Grange Park Infant and Nursery School with the governing body of the Grange Park Junior School proposing to instead extend the age range of the junior school from 7 to 11- year-olds to 3 to 11-year-olds to form a single 3 form-entry Primary School. Cabinet will be asked to consider the outcome of the consultation in relation to the proposed amalgamation of the various schools. Belmore Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education James Rogers / Abi Preston Julie Kelly Statutory consultation - Schools, residents, neighbouring boroughs. Select Committee NEW ITEM Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services N/A Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services TBC TBC Public 263 Post 16 Home to School Transport Policy Change The Cabinet Member will consider amendments to the policy relating to post-16 students and travel support following consultation with parents, carers and service users. The main proposed change is to offer a personal travel budget (PTB) as the default method of travel support instead of more expensive traditional transport options like minibuses or taxis. Exceptions will be made if alternative travel arrangements prove to be cost- effective or if the applicant can prove exceptional circumstances. N/A Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education Jan Major / Lee Moses Sandra Taylor Parent/Carers and Service users Public SI School Organisation Plan annual update The School Organisation Plan, originally approved by Cabinet in 2024, sets out how the London Borough of Hillingdon in accordance with its statutory duty, seeks to ensure there are sufficient primary, The Cabinet Member will consider the annual update to the Plan. N/A Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education Nav Minas / Abi Preston Julie Kelly Children, Families and Education Select Committee Public SI = Standard Item each month/regularly Cabinet meeting - Thursday 10 April 2025 (report deadline 19 March) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - April 2025 1 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Report Author Corporate Director Responsible Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly SI Standards and quality of education in Hillingdon during 2023/24 The Cabinet Member will receive the Annual Report regarding children and young people's educational performance across Hillingdon schools, for publication. N/A Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education Abi Preston / Michael Hawkins Julie Kelly Children, Families and Education Select Committee Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of decisions each month on standard items - details of these standard items are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services TBC Various Public 288 Family Group Conference Services in Hillingdon Cabinet will consider arrangements for the delivery of Family Group Conference Services, which seek to support families to find their own solutions to their problems in meeting the needs of children and themselves. N/A Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education Valentin Danciu and Antony Madden + Sally Offin Julie Kelly NEW ITEM Private (3) SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. Various All TBC Democratic Services N/A Various Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of decisions each month on standard items - details of these standard items are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services TBC Various Public SI Annual Performance Report Cabinet will receive an annual report performance report, setting out how the Council is delivering on key service metrics and the Council Strategy. All All Cabinet Members All Ian Kavanagh Matthew Wallbridge Select Committees will also consider the annual report at their meetings. NEW ITEM Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services N/A TBC Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services TBC Public Cabinet meeting - Thursday 22 May 2025 (report deadline 30 April) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - May 2025 Cabinet meeting - 26 June 2025 (report deadline 4 June) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - June 2025 2 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Report Author Corporate Director Responsible Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All C - Democratic Services TBC Various Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services N/A TBC Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All Democratic Services TBC Various Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services TBC Various Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services N/A TBC Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services Various Public Cabinet meeting - Thursday 23 October 2025 (report deadline 1 October) Cabinet meeting - 24 July 2025 (report deadline 2 July) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - July 2025 AUGUST 2025 - NO CABINET MEETING Cabinet meeting - Thursday 18 September 2025 (report deadline 27 August) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - September 2025 3 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Report Author Corporate Director Responsible Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly SI The Annual Report Of Adult and Child Safeguarding Arrangements This report provides the Cabinet with a summary of the activity undertaken by the Safeguarding Children Partnership Board and the Safeguarding Adults Board to address the identified local priorities. The Cabinet will consider this report and approve the activity and the local priorities for the two boards. All   Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education / Cllr Jane Palmer - Health & Social Care Health & Social Care / Children, Families & Education Alex Coman / Susan- Sidonia Gladish Sandra Taylor Select Committees Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services N/A TBC Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services Various Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services N/A TBC Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC C - Democratic Services Various Public SI 2026/27 Budget and Future Medium-Term Financial Strategy (BUDGET FRAMEWORK) This report will set out the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), which includes the draft General Fund reserve budget and capital programme for 2026/27 for consultation, along with indicative projections for the following four years. This will also include the HRA rents for consideration and Council Tax Reduction Scheme proposals following consultation. All Proposed Full Council adoption - 26 February 2026 Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance & Transformation All Andy Goodwin Richard Ennis Public consultation through the Select Committee process and statutory consultation with businesses & ratepayers Public Cabinet Member Decisions expected - October 2025 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 20 November 2025 (report deadline 29 October) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - November 2025 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 18 December 2025 (report deadline 26 November) 4 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Report Author Corporate Director Responsible Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services N/A Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services TBC TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services TBC Various Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services N/A Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services TBC TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services TBC Various Public SI 2026/27 Budget and Future Medium-Term Financial Strategy (BUDGET FRAMEWORK) Following consultation, this report will set out the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), which includes the draft General Fund reserve budget and capital programme for 2026/27 for consultation, along with indicative projections for the following four years. This will also include the HRA rents for consideration. All Proposed Full Council adoption - 26 February 2026 Cllr Ian Edwards - Leader of the Council / Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance & Transformation All Andy Goodwin Richard Ennis Public consultation through the Select Committee process and statutory consultation with businesses & ratepayers Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services N/A Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services TBC TBC Public Cabinet Member Decisions expected - December 2025 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 15 January 2026 (report deadline 12 December 2025) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - January 2026 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 19 February 2026 (report deadline 28 January 2026) 5 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Report Author Corporate Director Responsible Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services TBC Various Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services N/A Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services TBC TBC Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of non-key decisions each month on standard items - details of these are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services Various Public SI Public Preview of matters to be considered in private A report to Cabinet to provide maximum transparency to residents on the private and confidential matters to be considered later in Part 2 of the Cabinet meeting and agenda. TBC All Cabinet Members All Democratic Services N/A Public SI Reports from Select Committees Reports, findings and recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet, when referred from the appropriate Committee. All All TBC Democratic Services TBC TBC Public SI School Organisation Plan annual update The School Organisation Plan, originally approved by Cabinet in 2024, sets out how the London Borough of Hillingdon in accordance with its statutory duty, seeks to ensure there are sufficient primary, The Cabinet Member will consider the annual update to the Plan. N/A Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education Nav Minas / Abi Preston Julie Kelly Children, Families and Education Select Committee Public SI Standards and quality of education in Hillingdon during 2024/25 The Cabinet Member will receive the Annual Report regarding children and young people's educational performance across Hillingdon schools, for publication. N/A Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education Abi Preston / Michael Hawkins Julie Kelly Children, Families and Education Select Committee Public SI Standard Items taken each month by the Cabinet Member Cabinet Members make a number of decisions each month on standard items - details of these standard items are listed at the end of the Forward Plan. Various All TBC Democratic Services TBC Various Public Cabinet meeting - Thursday 23 April 2026 (report deadline 1 April 2026) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - April 2026 Cabinet Member Decisions expected - February 2026 Cabinet meeting - Thursday 19 March 2026 (report deadline 25 February 2026) Cabinet Member Decisions expected - March 2026 6 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Report Author Corporate Director Responsible Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly SI Urgent Cabinet-level decisions & interim decision-making (including emergency decisions) The Leader of the Council has the necessary authority to make decisions that would otherwise be reserved to the Cabinet, in the absence of a Cabinet meeting or in urgent circumstances. Any such decisions will be published in the usual way and reported to a subsequent Cabinet meeting for ratification. The Leader may also take emergency decisions without notice, in particular in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, which will be ratified at a later Cabinet meeting. Various Cllr Ian Edwards - Leader of the Council TBC TBC TBC Public / Private SI School Governing Bodies, Instruments of Government and Governors / Authorising Academy Appointments To approve appointments, nominate appointments and make reappointments of local authority governors and to approve any changes to school governing body constitutions. To also authorise any Member to be a Governor or Director of an Academy. N/A Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education Helen Boundy Public SI Release of Capital Funds The release of all capital monies requires formal Member approval, unless otherwise determined either by the Cabinet or the Leader. Batches of monthly reports (as well as occasional individual reports) to determine the release of capital for any schemes already agreed in the capital budget and previously approved by Cabinet or Cabinet Members TBC Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance & Transformation (in conjunction with relevant Cabinet Member) All - TBC by decision made various Corporate Finance Public but some Private (1,2,3) SI Petitions about matters under the control of the Cabinet Cabinet Members will consider a number of petitions received by local residents and organisations and decide on future action. These will be arranged as Petition Hearings. TBC All TBC Democratic Services Public CABINET MEMBER DECISIONS: Standard Items (SI) that may be considered each month 7 Ref Scheduled Upcoming Decisions Further details Ward(s) Final decision by Full Council Cabinet Member(s) Responsible Relevant Select Committee Report Author Corporate Director Responsible Consultation related to the decision NEW ITEM Public or Private (with reason) SI = Standard Item each month/regularly SI To approve compensation payments To approve compensation payments in relation to any complaint to the Council in excess of £1000. n/a All TBC various Private (1,2,3) SI Acceptance of Tenders To accept quotations, tenders, contract extensions and contract variations valued between £50k and £500k in their Portfolio Area where funding is previously included in Council budgets. n/a Cllr Ian Edwards - Leader of the Council OR Cllr Martin Goddard - Finance & Transformation / in conjunction with relevant Cabinet Member TBC various Private (3) SI All Delegated Decisions by Cabinet to Cabinet Members, including tender and property decisions Where previously delegated by Cabinet, to make any necessary decisions, accept tenders, bids and authorise property decisions / transactions in accordance with the Procurement and Contract Standing Orders. TBC All TBC various Public / Private (1,2,3) SI School Redundancy Payments To consider requests for School Redundancy Payments and decide whether to approve them on behalf of the Local Authority TBC Cllr Susan O'Brien - Children, Families & Education Children, Families & Education Abi Preston Private (1,3,4) SI External funding bids To authorise the making of bids for external funding where there is no requirement for a financial commitment from the Council. n/a All TBC various Public SI Response to key consultations that may impact upon the Borough A standard item to capture any emerging consultations from Government, the GLA or other public bodies and institutions that will impact upon the Borough. Where the deadline to respond cannot be met by the date of the Cabinet meeting, the Constitution allows the Cabinet Member to sign-off the response. TBC All TBC various Public Published 4 March 2025 - The Cabinet's Forward Plan is an official document by the London Borough of Hillingdon, UK 8

Children, Families and Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public WORK PROGRAMME Committee name Children, Families and Education Select Committee Officer reporting Ryan Dell, Democratic Services Papers with report Appendix A – Work Programme Ward All HEADLINES To enable the Committee to note future meeting dates and to forward plan its work for the current municipal year. RECOMMENDATION That the Children, Families and Education Select Committee considers the re port and agrees any amendments. SUPPORTING INFORMATION 1. The Committee's meetings will start at 7pm and the witnesses attending each of the meetings may include representatives from external organisations, some of whom travel from outside of the Borough. Forthcoming meeting dates are as follows: Meeting Date Room 15 April 2025 CR5 18 June 2025 TBC 30 July 2025 TBC 11 September 2025 TBC 13 November 2025 TBC 07 January 2026 TBC 05 February 2026 TBC 12 March 2026 TBC 14 April 2026 TBC Implications on related Council policies The role of the Select Committees is to make recommendations on service changes and improvements to the Cabinet, who are responsible for the Council’s policy and direction. RESIDENT BENEFIT Select Committees directly engage residents in shaping policy and recommendations and the Committees seek to improve the way the Council provides services to residents. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Children, Families and Education Select Committee – 20 March 2025 Part I – Public There are no financial implications arising from this report. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS There are no legal implications arising from this report. BACKGROUND PAPERS NIL.

MULTI-YEAR WORK PROGRAMME 2022 - 2026 Feb March April May 4 20 15 No meeting Review: Persistent Absenteeism Policy Review Discussion & Guidance Topic selection/ scoping stage Witness/ evidence/ consultation stage Findings, conclusions and recommendations X Final review report agreement X Target Cabinet reporting Regular service & performance monitoring Children's Social Care Reports/ minutes from the Corporate Parenting Panel X X Learn Hillingdon Self-Assessment Review (annual) School Organisation Plan inc. School Places Planning update X Annual Education Standards report (prior to Cabinet Member) 23-24 Hillingdon Music Hub Annual Report X Children and Families Support Services Children's Safeguarding Partnership Annual Report - Annual Performance Monitoring - Mid-year budget/ budget planning report Budget & Spending Report X Minutes of the AGM Cabinet Forward Plan Monthly Monitoring X X X One-off information items Children's Centres delivery model and Early Years Nurseries - review of implementation of Cabinet's decisions Sept. 2023 Hillingdon's Youth Offer & Delivery Model - review of implementation of Cabinet decisions from Sept. 2023 X Overview of Corporate Parenting Responsibilities Corporate Parenting Panel Membership to agree + subs Corporate Parenting Panel - update to Terms of Reference Hillingdon Local Area SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy for Children and Young Pople 0-25 Years 2023-2028 (& update) SEND Sufficiency Strategy School Admissions Arrangements - Whitehall Infant/ Junior Update on School Admissions X Move-ins to the Borough (in-year admissions) Ukrainian Children - how funding from Central Govt. has been delivered to schools/ "Ukraine Education support update" DPS for Alternative Provision – Education and SEND Outcomes of consultations regarding: (i) Proposed closures of the Physical Disability (PD) Special Resourced Provision (SRP) at Coteford Infant School (ii) Proposed increasing of the age range for the Assessment Base at Ruislip Gardens Primary School (iii) Proposal for some community schools to lower their age range to take two year olds. Draft Hillingdon Education Strategy 2024-2029 Outcome of the consultation for the proposal to amalgamate Grange Park Infant and Nursery School and Grange Park Junior School X Prevention and Youth Justice Youth Justice Service Strategy 2024-2029 Children and Families Support Services Early help/ support available to young people | Services available to low-income families Witness session on Higher Education - Orchad Hill College X Witness session on Higher Education - Uxbridge College X Witness session on Higher Education - Brunel University London X Families First Reforms and Childrens Wellbeing & Schools Bill X - Council Strategy 2022-2026 consultation Democratic Services Select Committee Terms of Reference update Democratic Services Scrutiny Introduction (Democratic Services) Place2Be (external witness session on children's mental health) X Past review delivery Children's Social Care Stronger Families Hub 2022/23 - 2023/24 X Adult & Community Learning Review 2021/22 Persistent Absenteeism Democratic Services Education and SEND Children's Social Care Education and SEND Education and SEND Children, Families & Education Select CommitteeService Areas Education and SEND