Bradstow School, Formal Consultation On Proposed Closure Of SEND Provision

WANDSWORTH BOROUGH COUNCIL STATUTORY NOTICE

Financial Position

Bradstow School operates within a challenging financial landscape and the unwillingness of some councils to pay the levels of fees needed to maintain the quality of education and financial viability of the school has forced Wandsworth council to look at other options.

Some councils, particularly Kent County Council, which owes approximately £4.6m, have not paid any placement fees for a year or the full fees for much of the prior 2 years. Legal processes for collecting this debt were initiated between February 2024 and in May 2024 were paused to allow for Kent to complete their due diligence of the transfer proposal. Following confirmation that Kent had no interest in taking transfer of the provision, the legal process was reinstated with the recovery of unpaid fees actively pursued through solicitors. This process of recovery is ongoing.

The financial sustainability of the school requires that the income generated and paid for by councils is equal to or greater than the expenditure (the costs of running the provision including maintenance, overheads and staffing costs).

Adding pressure to the already challenged financial model of the school, which has had a financial deficit for over 5 years now, the significant fall in pupil numbers over the last year has meant that the costs have continued to exceed income even after undertaking the latest restructure. Unfortunately, with only 13 children currently on roll, with the potential for this number to reduce further, and 2 of these still being Kent Council placements who haven’t paid, the costs significantly exceed the income.

The high-risk financial liabilities associated with the school are therefore over £4.6m, with total debt being over £8m, and a further £1m of accumulated school deficit. These amounts are growing every day, and any unrecoverable debt or deficit is a cost to Wandsworth Council and the residents it serves.

The school is close to halfway through its 5th year with a deficit that is only growing at a greater rate.

Impact on the community

An Equality Impact Assessment has been undertaken and updated following feedback from the pre-publication consultation and changes at the school. This has been shared as part of this consultation. This will be reviewed and updated following responses received to the formal consultation.

Whilst we understand that this proposal may have some impact on the local community, it has been put forward with a view to retain and to manage risk for our most vulnerable children, as well as the sustainability of the overall Wandsworth school system for all our children and families. The mitigations for the impact on the school community are outlined in the EINA and accompanying consultation documents.

There may be some impact to the wider community in terms of a reduction in the staff contribution to the local economy if the provision was to close, however, this is likely to be minimal given many reside in the area. Also, given the significant reduction in pupil numbers, pupil usage of the local community during term time will be minimal, and outside of this time, they will return to their local authorities where their families reside.

Sixth form provision

It is acknowledged that the potential closure of Bradstow School at the end of the Autumn Term 2025 would have the greatest impact on young people aged 16–19 of which there are 7. Given the small cohort size and their distribution across 5 London local authorities the challenges of finding suitable alternative post-16 provision is lessened and would not impact the area local to the school. Personalised planning would be required to protect curriculum continuity and preparation for adulthood outcomes.

Placing local authorities will work with parents/carers and the school to review individualised needs and identify suitable alternative provision and if appropriate, settings which cater for their needs post-19. This would avoid the need for future placement changes at aged 19, which is when children placed at Bradstow would ordinarily transition. The review would also consider positive learning opportunities.

Special educational needs provision

Given the increasing financial risk and liabilities which Wandsworth Council holds in respect of Bradstow School in Kent, for the sole Wandsworth child in the provision from September 2025, this proposal will ensure that we can realise our ambition to invest in and support children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) locally, keeping them educated and cared for within Wandsworth or as close to their homes as possible. This sits alongside the need to retain a sustainable Wandsworth school system that meets the needs of all our children and ensure as a council we effectively manage Wandsworth resources and protect the long-term interests of Wandsworth residents.

Travel

Transport for children and young people with EHCPs is clearly outlined in Section 9.214 of the SEND Code of Practice (2015). If the decision is made to close Bradstow school and alternative educational provision is required, the local SEND Transport team would be able to identify if transport would be provided based on the Government guidance on eligibility. Wandsworth is committed to ensure children and young people for whom we are responsible are educated in their community, where possible, to avoid long travel journeys which can be very stressful for individuals.

How to respond: support; objections and comments

Wandsworth Council will begin consulting on the 1 September 2025 for 4 weeks to views on the outlined proposals. The consultation will close at midnight on the 28 September 2025. Support, objections or comments should be provided within four weeks of the publication date of this proposal (by 28 September 2025!) online, by email or by post as follows:

• Online survey: we would encourage you to complete the online survey as the most efficient and secure way to give your views, at the link or QR code below: https://haveyoursay.citizenspace.com/wandsworthcsd/bradstow-25

• You can email comments to: consult@wandsworth.gov.uk – please use the heading ‘Bradstow Formal Consultation’.

• You can send comments by post to the following address:

  Bradstow Formal Consultation

  Wandsworth Local Authority Children’s Services’ Executive Support Team

  5th Floor, Wandsworth Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 2PU

• Hard copy – if you need to request a paper copy, a different language or format, or if you need any support to take part in the consultation, please call or text the Children’s Services Executive Support team’s dedicated Bradstow consultation mobile number at 07779 868995 or email consult@wandsworth.gov.uk

  (please put ‘Bradstow Consultation’ in the email heading).

Upon concluding the formal consultation stage, all views will be considered by Cabinet (November 2025) as to whether to proceed with the proposals. A decision may be called in for scrutiny within three working days of the decision being published.

Dated this twenty eighth day of August 2025.

Andrew Travers Chief Executive