Lewisham Council has approved plans to establish a new Special Educational Needs (SEN) unit at Deptford Park Primary School, which will cater for up to 40 children with severe learning difficulties (SLD).
The decision was made during a Mayor and Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, January 21, 2026. This initiative is part of the council's ongoing commitment to expanding SEN provision within the borough. Over the last four years, Lewisham Council has added more than 300 additional places for children with SEND, expanding resource-based provision in mainstream primary schools and increasing special school places. The new unit will add a further 40 places.
Councillor Edison Huynh, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, highlighted the benefits of educating children within their local borough, stating it leads to better outcomes and a more efficient use of resources. He added, It is not only beneficial for the young people themselves to be educated within borough, closer to home and community with better outcomes, but it is also a better use of resources to have places provided in Lewisham as opposed to places provided outside the borough.
Councillor Will Cooper, whose ward includes Deptford Park Primary School, expressed strong support for the proposal. He noted the positive impact of similar provisions and the importance of bringing services closer to home, stating, Doing this not only improves the school environment, brings children closer to be schooled in Lewisham, but actually really adds to the school community, adds to our community and makes sure that we're bringing that provision into Lewisham. So, I think it's a fantastic piece of work and the more we can do of it, the better.
The proposal to consult on the new SEN unit was formally moved by Councillor Huynh and agreed upon by the Mayor and Cabinet. The full proposal can be found in the document 'Permission to consult on a new SLD Unit at Deptford Park Primary School REPORT' [https://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/documents/s123422/Permission%20to%20consult%20on%20a%20new%20SLD%20Unit%20at%20Deptford%20Park%20Primary%20School%20REPORT.pdf].
