Alexandra School in South Harrow, serving 80 pupils with learning difficulties, received nearly 1 million in funding from Harrow Council to expand by adding 30 new pupil spaces. This expansion is cost-effective, as it will save the council from spending significantly more on out-of-borough placements. Recent approvals for new single-storey extensions at the school will create additional classrooms and facilities, enabling the hiring of more staff. The increased capacity is a response to soaring demand and is crucial in fulfilling the council's legal obligations for special education.
The demand for special needs places in Harrow has soared over the past few years, resulting in the council struggling to fulfill its legal duty to provide sufficient spaces. A report published last year suggested that not providing extra spaces would adversely affect children who need special education and increase demand on mainstream schools.
Committee chair and deputy leader of the council, Cllr Marilyn Ashton, praised the expansion of Alexandra School saying, 'It is always good to see increased capacity and facilities at schools.' This reflects the positive steps being taken to meet the heightened demand for special needs education.
Harrow Council's funding for Alexandra School allows it to add 30 places at a cost of 32,000 per pupil, much lower than the average out-of-borough placement costs of 70,000 to 80,000.
The expected expansion will result in an estimated saving of 1.3 million annually, alongside 210,000 saved from the special needs transport budget, thus emphasizing the financial advantages of creating local educational resources.
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