(UK) Hackney: Elem school with declining enrollment to become special school
- The end of childhood
- Nov 8
- 2 min read
Nov 5, 2025, Hackney.gov: Vacant Hackney primary school set to re-open as specialist facility for children and young people with SEND
London borough
A primary school that closed due to falling pupil numbers in Hackney could reopen as specialist provision, as part of the Council’s ambitious plan to create additional places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the borough.
The former Baden Powell Primary School in Clapton would be repurposed to offer 48 new special school places for children and young people with SEND, providing tailored support close to home, as part of an expansion of Ickburgh School. The school’s main site on Kenworthy Road would remain unchanged. . . .
Ickburgh School is one of three maintained special schools in Hackney, dedicated to supporting children and young people with SEND whose needs cannot be met within a mainstream setting. The proposed expansion aims to provide high-quality specialist education, allowing children to stay connected to their local support networks and reducing the need for long-distance travel.
The initiative would also help decrease the Council’s reliance on more expensive out-of-borough or independent school placements and create local employment opportunities. Funding for the refurbishment would come from the SEN Special Provision Capital Fund. . . .
Cllr Anya Sizer, Deputy cabinet member for families, early years and SEND . . .
“By investing into this now vacant site, we are continuing to meet our commitment to create over 300 high quality places for the use of our children with SEND, and give new life to the building.”
This proposal is part of the Council’s wider strategy to repurpose school sites to address community needs, particularly in response to a significant increase locally in the number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). This trend is observed across London and is predicted to continue.
One in five children and young people now have an Education, Health and Care Plan or receive SEN Support, a figure higher than the London and national averages reported in January 2025. . . .
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