Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Annual School Place Planning Update - School Organisation Plan 2025
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Democratic Services
Location: Phase II
Ext: 0692
DDI: 01895 250692
CMD No: 1382
To: COUNCILLOR SUSAN O’BRIEN
CABINET MEMBER FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES &
EDUCATION
c.c. All Members of th e Children, Families &
Education Select Committee
c.c. Abi Preston, Director of Education & SEND
c.c. Julie Kelly, Corporate Director of Children’s
Services
Date: 11 April 2025
Non-Key Decision request Form D
ANNUAL SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING UPDATE - SCHOOL
ORGANISATION PLAN 2025
Dear Cabinet Members,
Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet
Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such, the Local
Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England)
Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply.
You should take a decision on or after Wednesday 23 April 2025 in order to meet
Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may
wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your
decision on the duplicate memo supplied and return it to me when you have made your
decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published.
Ryan Dell
Democratic Services Officer
Title of Report: Annual School Place Planning Update – School Organisation Plan 2025
Decision made:
Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report)
Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report)
Signed ……………………………………………………… Date……………………..
Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education
Cabinet Member Report – 11 April 2025 Page 1
Part I – Public
ANNUAL SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING UPDATE - SCHOOL ORGANISATION
PLAN 2025
Cabinet Member &
Portfolio
Councillor Susan O’Brien – Cabinet Member for Children, Families
& Education
Responsible Officer Julie Kelly – Corporate Director of Children Services
Report Author &
Directorate
Abi Preston – Director of Education & SEND
Papers with report Appendix 1 – School Organisation Plan: 2024 to 2025
Appendix 2 – School Organisation Plan: 2024 to 2025 – Appendices
HEADLINES
Summary
School place planning is a statutory function of the Council as a local
authority (LA) and involves liaison with all schools and Trusts in the
borough, and with neighbouring LAs. The duty is to have a
sufficiency of school places to meet parent demand acro ss the
borough. School place planning sets a strategic framework in which
the LA and every school can operate, requiring an annual review
and decisions to be agreed with individual schools and Trusts to
adjust supply, and to inform timely capital investment and building
decisions and negotiations with the DfE.
The School Organisation Plan was approved for publication by
Cabinet, 18 April 2024 and it was agreed that it would be updated
and presented to the Cabinet Member, relevant Select Committee
and schools annually with the latest data and forecasts.
This report presents to Cabinet Member the updated School
Organisation Plan for Hillingdon which will provide the following:
• An overview of the education landscape in Hillingdon
• A summary of current pupil numbers and projected demand
in primary and secondary phases, including specialist
provision
• Options for the Local Authority (LA) to consider when
determining the need to increase or reduce school places.
Putting our Residents
First
Delivering on the
Council Strategy
2022-2026
This report supports our ambition for residents / the Council of:
An efficient, well-run, digital-enabled council working with partners
to deliver services to improve the lives of all our residents
This report supports our commitments to residents of:
Thriving, Healthy Households
Financial Cost There are no direct financial implications associated with the
recommendations in this report.
Cabinet Member Report – 11 April 2025 Page 2
Part I – Public
Select Committee Children, Families & Education Select Committee.
Wards All
RECOMMENDATION
That the Cabinet Member agrees the School Organisation Plan 2025 for publication.
Reasons for recommendation
As an education authority, the Council must plan for a sufficiency of places and efficient use of
resources. The School Organisation Plan will support strategic planning and assist the council to
comply with our statutory duties and for schools to be kept informed of the data projections in
order to plan effectively.
Select Committee comments
The Children, Families & Education Select Committee met on 20 March 2025 to consider this in
draft and welcome officers’ confidence in the accuracy of school place projections whilst
recognising the need for close monitoring moving forward. The Committee also note that the
School Organisation Plan has been a positive step forward in helping to monitor numbers and in
ensuring a sufficiency of places. Furthermore, the Committee are pleased to note that bulge
classes would not be needed in the future.
Democratic compliance/ previous authority
Cabinet on 18 April 2024 received the Council’s latest School Organisation Plan and agreed that
for future years to delegate this to be presented to the Cabinet Member, Select Committee and
Schools annually with the latest data and forecasts.
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 maintained 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.
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 Inspections 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 that 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
Cabinet Member Report – 11 April 2025 Page 3
Part I – Public
• 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 summary 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)
• 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:
Cabinet Member Report – 11 April 2025 Page 4
Part I – Public
• 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 an 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 the 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 childcare,
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, five 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.
• 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 2024.
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
Cabinet Member Report – 11 April 2025 Page 5
Part I – Public
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 government 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 stabilised at a high level, and revised projections show Year 7 intake have passed
their peak, while the total secondary roll is expected to peak in Sept 2026.
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 can create unpredictable outcomes. 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.
Cabinet Member Report – 11 April 2025 Page 6
Part I – Public
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 and in the
execution of its duty of providing sufficient school places.
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.
Proposals for amalgamations will have no impact on general fund but its implications on school
finances will be considered at the time of amalgamation.
Expansion for school PAN is funded from the growth fund as directed by the schools’ block
distribution via the schools forum. PAN reductions on the other hand, have no financial impact on
general fund. Resource re- allocation at the school in line with a reduced PAN ensures any
financial strain from reduction has been mitigated.
RESIDENT BENEFIT & CONSULTATION
The benefit or impact upon Hillingdon residents, service users and communities
The School Organisation Plan will support strategic planning and assist the council to comply with
its statutory duty to provide sufficiency of school places to meet parent demand across the
borough. It will also allow for schools to be kept informed of the data projections in order to plan
effectively for future demand.
CORPORATE CONSIDERATIONS
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance have reviewed this report and concur with the Financial Implications set out
above, noting there are no direct financial implications on the General Fund associated with the
recommendations in this report, with the recommendations supporting the delivery of the Schools
Budget.
Cabinet Member Report – 11 April 2025 Page 7
Part I – Public
Legal
There are no specific legal implications arising from this report.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
NIL.
APPENDICES
Appendix 1 – School Organisation Plan: 2024 to 2025
Appendix 2 – School Organisation Plan: 2024 to 2025 – Appendices
Plan page 1
London
Borough of
Hillingdon
School
Organisation Plan
Plan page 2
Contents
Section 1 Introduction 4
1.1 Purpose and scope 4
Section 2 Context 5
2.1 Government Regulations, Guidance and Policies 5
2.2 Funding and Delivery 6
2.3 Hillingdon Demographics 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 people are the future of Hillingdon. We are just as
ambitious for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and
Disabilities (SEND), and those who access alternative provision, as we are for every
other child.” Hillingdon Local Area SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy for Children and
Young People 0-25 years.
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 demand can lead to the creation of a new school
or the expansion of ex isting schools, whereas decreases in demand can lead to a reduction
in school provision.
We strive to communicate effectively with schools and school communities about the pressure
for places in each area. However, the C ouncil also endeavour s to manage expectations
regarding school organisation proposals. This document does not seek to definitively set out
all the actions the Council intends to take in the future but rather is intended to provide an
overview and outline our strategy to manage any changes effectively.
This document aims to present schools, governing bodies, and residents with the following:
• A n overview of the education landscape in Hillingdon
• A summary of current pupil numbers and projected demand in primary and secondary
phases, including specialist provision
• Options in place for the Council to consider when determining the need to increase or
reduce school places
The School Organisation Plan will be updated annually with the latest census and School
Capacity Survey (SCAP) data and forecasts. This may result in changes to existing proposals
as the Council responds to the latest demographic changes in the Borough.
Plan page 5
2. Context
2.1 Government Regulations, Guidance and Policies
The Council has a statutory duty to provide sufficient school places, oversee a fair admissions
process and ensur e that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
have access to appropriate quality provision. This is to ensure that all pupils can access a
school place if they apply. These duties are for all of the pupils who are resident in the Borough
- including children attending schools in other Local Authority (LA) areas or independent
schools.
The Council also has a range of responsibilities for the schools in the Borough, and the
pupils and staff in them, depending on their legal status . Each type of school has
different powers and governance, and a different relationship with the Council and the
Department for Education (DfE), and each Council is different. All pupils have the flexibility to
choose to go to school anywhere, as long as they meet the admissions criteria for the relevant
school. Due to this, the Council must review the flow of children across the 7 neighbouring
Councils as well as Hillingdon pupils educated in Hillingdon schools . Until 2018, the number
of children admitted into Hillingdon schools from other Councils ( ‘imports') was equal to the
number of Hillingdon children attending schools outside of the Borough (‘exports’). Since then,
‘imports’ have decreased to 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 schools and academies make up the schools forum.
There is also some representation from non-school organisations, such as nursery and 16-19
education providers. Please see the list of
Schools forum operational and good practice guide
- GOV.UK
The Schools Forum acts as a consultative body on some issues, and a decision-making body
on others. One such area on which Schools Forums can make decisions on is whether to
create a fund for significant pupil growth in order to support the Council’s duty for place
planning and agree the criteria for maintained schools and Academies to access this fund.
Proposals can be made to the Schools Forum which meets seven times a year (the minimum
requirement is to meet four times a year ). Regular updates on the delivery of new provision
are provided to the High Needs subgroup of Schools Forum.
The Council cannot distribute extra funding to specific schools outside the funding
formula and Schools Forum process.
2.3 Hillingdon Demographic
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the second largest of London's 32 boroughs, situated to
the west of the capital. It has a unique location, bordering three neighbouring London Local
Authorities (Ealing, Harrow, and Hounslow) as well as three Authorities outside of London
(Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, and Surrey ). According to the Census 2021, the 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 contain 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, there are some historic agreements with developers still paying Section 106
education contributions from before the CIL regime was adopted in 2014. Section 106
agreements may also exist with neighbouring local planning authorities , but these will be
infrequent.
2.4 Hillingdon Schools
The schools' landscape in Hillingdon consists of ninety -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 7 0% of schools are academies whilst 3 0% 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 Free 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 2 3.8% 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 delivery 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 th e 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 . T his 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 2030 / 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 school – a total
of 60 places.
For the academic year 2026/27, The admissions authority for 1 non- community school has
formally agreed on a PAN reduction. This will reduce the PAN by 30 places for the school – a
total of 30 places.
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 difficulties 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 schools’ 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 organisational
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 London 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 1
st 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 provisio
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 23 April 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE
PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES
Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by
Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Title of decision ANNUAL SCHOOL PLACE PLANNING UPDATE – SCHOOL
ORGANISATION PLAN 2025
Reference No. 1382
Date of decision Wednesday 23 April 2025
Call-in expiry date Wednesday 30 April 2025
Relevant Select
Committee
Children, Families & Education Select Committee
Relevant Wards All
Decision made
Cabinet Members
making the decision
Councillor Susan O ’Brien, Cabinet Member for Children,
Families & Education
Decision Approved
That the Cabinet Member agreed the School Organisation
Plan 2025 for publication
Reason for decision As an education authority, the Council must plan for a
sufficiency of places and efficient use of resources. The School
Organisation Plan will support strategic planning and assist the
council to comply with our statutory duties and for schools to
be kept informed of the data projections in order to plan
effectively.
Alternative options
considered and
rejected
N/A
Classification Part I – Public
Link to associated
report
Here
Relevant Officer
contact & Directorate
Abi Preston – Director of Education & SEND
Any interest declared
by the Cabinet
Member(s) /
dispensation granted
N/A
Executive Decision Notice – 23 April 2025
This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk
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