The Children, Families and Education Select Committee meeting scheduled for 12 March 2026 was set to discuss the council's budget and spending, school place planning, and a proposal to amalgamate two local schools. The committee was also scheduled to review minutes from previous meetings, including those of the Corporate Parenting Panel, and consider a draft final report on fostering.

Budget and Spending

The committee was scheduled to review the 2025/26 Month 9 budget monitoring position for services within its remit. The report indicated a pressure of £6.4 million within the Children, Families & Education directorate, primarily driven by increased demand for Children's Social Care and an underlying pressure on asylum costs. A significant concern highlighted was the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which was forecasting an in-year deficit of £9.6 million, largely due to continued demand and cost pressures in High Needs placements, which remain significantly underfunded by the Department for Education (DfE). The report also detailed that 96% of the £4.549 million savings target for 2025/26 was on track for delivery.

School Place Planning: School Organisation Plan Update

Abi Preston, Director of Education & SEND, and Gary Binstead, Head of Education & SEND Commissioning, were scheduled to present an update on the School Organisation Plan for Hillingdon. This plan is a statutory function of the council, aiming to ensure a sufficiency of school places to meet parental demand. The report was expected to provide an overview of the education landscape, summarise current pupil numbers and projected demand across primary and secondary phases, including specialist provision, and outline options for the council to consider regarding increasing or reducing school places. Key demographic data indicated a projected decrease in primary and secondary pupils by the 2031/32 academic year, while noting a significant growth in pupils attending special schools. The report also detailed plans for childcare and early education provision, including the expansion of funded childcare hours for eligible parents.

Proposal to Amalgamate Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School

A significant item on the agenda was the proposal to amalgamate Whitehall Infant School and Whitehall Junior School to form a single, three-form entry maintained primary school for children aged 3 to 11 years, effective from 1 September 2026. This would involve the technical closure of Whitehall Infant School and the extension of the age range of Whitehall Junior School. The report highlighted that this proposal was triggered by the impending retirement of the Headteacher of Whitehall Infant School and aligned with the council's Infant and Junior Schools Amalgamation Policy. The report detailed the consultation process undertaken, including pre-publication and statutory consultations, and outlined the potential benefits of amalgamation, such as a consistent approach to teaching, increased opportunities for children, simplified communication for parents, and greater cost-effectiveness through economies of scale. Financial implications were also discussed, noting the eventual loss of one lump-sum funding allocation but potential offsetting savings from efficiencies.

Corporate Parenting Panel Minutes

The committee was scheduled to review the minutes from the Corporate Parenting Panel meeting held on 28 October 2025. A key discussion point from these minutes was an update on the Making Hayes Safer project, which aims to tackle serious youth violence and exploitation through a contextual safeguarding approach. The project has involved creative arts activities, youth worker-led discussions, podcast and music production, and has provided bereavement and trauma support following a tragic incident. The project has also focused on employment opportunities for young people and has seen a reduction in referrals to the Youth Justice Service. Another significant item from the minutes was the Accommodation, Placements & Housing report, which detailed the range of accommodation available for young people, including kinship care, foster care, residential homes, supported accommodation, and shared accommodation. The report highlighted efforts to keep young people within the borough and the successful registration of new in-house residential beds. The minutes also covered the Virtual School Annual Report, which detailed educational outcomes for children in care, including PEP completion rates, engagement in enrichment activities, and strategies to address Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA).

Fostering Review: Draft Final Report

The committee was presented with a draft of the final report for its review into fostering. The report aimed to assess the effectiveness of the new fostering offer in Hillingdon, focusing on recruitment and retention, support for foster carers, and outcomes for children in care. The review's terms of reference included understanding the needs and experiences of children in foster care, evaluating recruitment and retention strategies, identifying barriers to fostering, and formulating recommendations to Cabinet. The report also included guidance on undertaking policy reviews, outlining the phases of a review from topic selection to monitoring the implementation of recommendations.

Forward Plan

The committee was scheduled to review the Cabinet's latest Forward Plan, which outlines key decisions and other decisions to be taken by the Cabinet collectively and Cabinet Members individually over the coming year. The report detailed the actions available to the committee in monitoring this plan, including providing comments on items within its remit, requesting further information, and potentially reviewing draft reports or decisions post-implementation. Several items relevant to the committee's remit were highlighted, including the Best Start in Life / Family Hubs Strategy, updates on the School Organisation Plan, and the Annual Standards of Education in Hillingdon Report.

Work Programme

Finally, the committee was to consider its work programme, enabling it to note future meeting dates and forward plan its work for the current municipal year. The report listed forthcoming meeting dates and outlined the committee's role in engaging residents and shaping policy to improve council services. The work programme itself detailed planned reviews and monitoring activities, including ongoing work on the Fostering Policy Review, updates on the Youth Justice Service Strategy, and the School Organisation Plan. It also indicated planned discussions on the Stronger Families / Family Help Strategy and the Hillingdon Parking Strategy.