Purpose

To note the demand for places
and agree the resources and the Capital Programme

Content

Noted
the projected demand for primary, secondary and
post-16 school places in the borough and the proposed arrangements
for managing projected trends from 2025/26 and beyond, as detailed
in paragraphs 4.32 to 4.67 of the report (see also the Primary
School Data Annex as Appendix A of the report).
 
Noted
the projected demand and proposals for meeting the
growing demand for
specialist places in the borough for children and young people with
special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across all phases
of education, including post-16 (see paragraphs 4.68 to 4.101 of
the report).
 
Noted
the secondary and sixth-form phase of Rowan Wood,
the new SEND all-through free school being delivered at Hargood
Road SE3 (a former primary school site) for operation in the
2025/26 academic year. To date, the primary phase of the
all-through school has not commenced as a site and necessary
funding first needed to be identified (see paragraphs 4.84 to 4.87
of the report).
 
Noted
Cabinet’s approval on 15 September 2025 to a
multi-year investment plan, which included an outline financial
envelope of £24m for the delivery of the primary phase of the
SEND all-through school.
 
Agreed
the proposal to use the former Gallions Mount
Primary School site on Purrett Road SE18 for the development of the
primary phase of Rowan Wood School. This will meet the requirements
of the funding agreement between the Department for Education (DfE)
and Compass Partnership of Schools (the approved provider of Rowan
Wood All-Through School) and help the local authority meet its
statutory duty to provide sufficiency SEND places (see paragraph
4.86 of the report).
 
Further to the paragraph above,
delegated to the Director of Place and Growth in
consultation with the Lead Member for Children and Young People,
Director of Children’s Services, Director of Legal and
Democratic Services and Director of Finance, the authority to
negotiate and agree the specific terms for transferring the former
Gallions Mount site under a 125-year academy lease at peppercorn
rent to Compass Partnership of Schools in line with all relevant
statutory requirements as set out by the DfE (see paragraph 4.86 of
the report).
 
Further to Cabinet’s
decision on 15 November 2023 to delegate authority to the Director
of Children’s Services in consultation with the Lead Member
for Children and Young People, to appoint a suitable provider for
the new Transition Learning Centre (TLC) for young people aged
19–25 at Bexley Road SE9, agreed to delegate authority
to the Director of Place and Growth, Director of Legal and
Democratic Services, Director of Children’s Services, and
Director of Health and Adult Services to negotiate and agree the
terms of all necessary agreements including the lease and/or the
contract with the appointed provider to enable the delivery of the
TLC as set out under paragraphs 4.88 to 4.96 of the
report.
 
Subject to the approval of the
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government,
agreed to delegate to the Director of Place and Growth in
consultation with the Director of Children’s Services,
Director of Legal and Democratic Services and Director of Finance,
and Lead Member for Children and Young People, the authority to
negotiate and agree the specific terms for a land swap relating to
the former Children’s Centre and vacant premises
manager’s house at Greenacres Primary School under the
125-year academy lease at a peppercorn rent to Maritime Academy
Trust in line with all relevant statutory requirements (see
paragraphs 4.98 to 4.99 of the report).
 
Subject to any necessary
consultation with the Schools’ Forum, delegated to the
Director of Children’s Services and Director Place and Growth
the authority to vary the School Capital Programme, in consultation
with the relevant Lead Members, as may be required to address
future needs within the agreed level of
resources.