Havering Council's Cabinet has approved plans to expand RJ Mitchell Primary School, including the creation of an 18-place nursery and a significant expansion of its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) unit. The combined project is set to cost approximately £2.8 million.
The expansion aims to address identified shortfalls in local provision. The council has noted a shortage of places for 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds
in the Elm Park ward, with very limited availability across existing providers.
Department for Work and Pensions data further suggests unmet demand for accessible nursery provision
as around 50% of eligible families in the ward are not utilising their 2-year-old funded entitlement. For SEND provision, the council forecasts an increase in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), particularly for Communication and Interaction (C&I) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH)
, highlighting a need for additional SEND places in the borough to meet the growing need
and specifically additional primary C&I SEND Units
.
The nursery will be funded through grants from the Department for Education and the Local Authority, with an estimated capital cost of £390,000. The SEND unit expansion will increase capacity from 21 to 50 places, funded by the Department for Education's High Needs Capital Grant, with building costs estimated at £2.4 million. Both provisions are expected to operate within their allocated revenue funding streams, ensuring no additional unfunded budget pressures for the school or the council.
The decision followed a consultation period where a significant majority of respondents supported both proposals. Concerns raised regarding the need for additional provision, impact on existing providers, parking, and the school's current capacity were addressed by council officers. They confirmed that the proposals would meet identified shortfalls and that operational arrangements would be carefully managed.
Regarding the impact on existing local nursery providers, the consultation, which ran from 01 June 2026 to 29 June 2026, aimed to gather views from key stakeholders. While concerns were raised about the lack of need, surplus places within the local area and impact on existing early years providers,
the Local Authority believes the 18 place nursery implementation will balance the need for additional places without having a detrimental effect on the local providers.
To ensure the quality of education and support for existing students in the SEND unit, admissions will continue to be managed through Havering's established EHCP panel process. This will not affect pupils in the mainstream setting. Pupils attending the SEND unit will be in addition to the mainstream Planned Admission Number (PAN) of 30. The staff in the unit are highly trained and experienced in SEND, receiving specific training for children with complex Communication and Interaction needs. The expansion is intended to build on the good education already being delivered at this school and will further enhance the education offer to children with SEND.
Places in the expanded SEND unit will be allocated according to assessed need and the suitability of the provision, in line with the arrangements used for other specialist SEND units across the borough. The purpose of the expansion is to increase local specialist capacity for children with complex communication and interaction needs, not solely for pupils already attending RJ Mitchell Primary School.
Potential parking issues raised during the consultation will be addressed during the implementation phase. Detailed operational arrangements for parking, access, and drop-off will be carefully considered to manage local impacts. A councillor noted that the area has existing parking restrictions and a school street zone. The response indicated that a parking warden would initially be present to inform parents of restrictions, and that exemptions for school staff, parents, carers, and the passenger transport service are typically applicable within school street schemes.
The Cabinet also approved the commencement of a tendering process for the combined project and delegated authority to the Director of Starting Well to award the contract. Further details can be found in the Public reports pack Public reports pack 16th-Sep-2026 19.00 Cabinet.pdf.
