Issue

School Place Shortage

38 stories · discussed at 205 council meetings · 32 councils

Councils are discussing school finances and future provision for children with special educational needs, with Hackney's Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission set to review the topic in October 2026.

Kingston upon Thames's Schools Forum recently discussed the 2026-27 finance update and progress on the SEND Futures Plan in September 2026. The forum noted the projected Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) position and approved the continuation of the cluster model for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support, focusing on resource allocation for children requiring additional educational provision.

The issue of insufficient school places to meet the demand from the student population is scheduled for review by Hackney's Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission on 12 October 2026. This upcoming discussion follows recent considerations by Kingston upon Thames's Schools Forum in September 2026 regarding the 2026-27 finance update and progress on the SEND Futures Plan.

About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 8 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 5

  1. Waltham Forest faces £31.4M budget overspend Waltham Forest is grappling with a significant budget overspend of £31.4 million, according to a recent report presented to the Budget Scrutiny Committee. Like many other local... Waltham Forest 8 September 2025
  2. Park View School RAAC Repairs Delayed Until 2028 Haringey's Park View School will not have permanent repairs to its RAAC-affected building completed until July 2028, according to a report presented at a Cabinet Member Signing... Haringey 3 August 2025
  3. Havering Faces EHCP Backlog Due to Psychologist Shortage; Council Plans AI Solution Havering is grappling with a significant backlog in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) due to a shortage of educational psychologists (EPs), the People Overview & Scrutiny... Havering 20 July 2025
  4. Redbridge Schools' Collective Balances Drop by £3.6M; Two Schools in Deficit Redbridge schools experienced a collective drop of £3.6 million in their revenue balances as of 31 March 2025, according to a report presented at the Redbridge Schools Forum... Redbridge 12 July 2025
  5. Southwark Schools Face Capacity Cuts Amid Pupil Number Drop Southwark schools are facing potential capacity cuts as pupil numbers decline, according to a report discussed at the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission meeting on... Southwark 11 July 2025
  6. Enfield Schools Face £6.4M Deficit, Recovery Plans in Place Enfield schools are grappling with a significant financial challenge, as 15 schools report a combined deficit of £6.4 million. Recovery plans are being implemented to address... Enfield 8 July 2025