Hackney (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hackney Council launches public consultation, seeking families’ input on future education strategy, aiming to shape borough top priorities for next three years.
By completing a brief form by March 30th, 2025, parents and caregivers from all of Hackney‘s different communities are encouraged to show their interest in participating in one of the early engagement programs that will start this term.
Finding ways to create an education offer that is robust, equitable, child-centered, anti-racist, and inclusive is the goal of the new approach.
Making the most of the resources available, it will concentrate on collaborating with families, schools, settings, and other partners to create long-term strategies.
In order for the Council to quickly adjust and address the residents’ evolving demands and challenges, listening to them is essential to the strategy-building process.
Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children’s Social Care said:
“Hackney has incredible schools, and we want to do more to help them all shine and show the great work they do. We have seen vast improvement in the quality of education in Hackney – but there is still much to do.
Our challenge now is to ensure that we maintain the quality education that our children deserve, while offering the necessary support to meet all our children’s needs.”
At the heart of our new strategy is the ambition to find the best possible ways to use our resources to help our families and children thrive, and offer our talented staff the support and tools they need to serve their communities.
Once finalised, the strategy will outline the ways in which they plan to prioritise our limited resources so that they can offer the best possible start in life for our children.
He added that he encourages parents and carers to join us to find out more about our plans, and have their say in shaping our strategy for the future of Hackney’s education.
The following priorities will serve as the foundation for the strategy:
- Delivering the appropriate support to children and adolescents with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) at the appropriate moment.
- Children who do not obtain a suitable education in normal schools because of exclusion, illness, or other reasons will receive more support, with a focus on early aid and inclusion.
- Establishing a robust, long-lasting, and profitable educational program. In area-based partnerships tailored to local requirements, schools, early childhood facilities, and other providers will be encouraged to collaborate and, when feasible, share resources and lessons learned.
- Assisting every youngster in realizing their passions and aspirations. This entails hearing what families have to say and collaborating with them to close the gaps for kids from underprivileged neighborhoods.
The education strategy is being developed in response to Hackney’s growingly complicated problems, which include:
- A sharp decline in children, with certain groups being disproportionately impacted
- The number of students with complicated special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has significantly increased.
- Exclusion rates at nearby secondary schools are high.
- Financial difficulties
- Finding skilled employees is challenging because of the growing cost of living.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to complete the form by March 30 if they would want more information and a voice.
In order to reach all interested audiences—including schools and settings, partner organizations, families, and children and young people—the Council is planning a number of events. When developing the strategy’s final draft, the input received will be taken into consideration.
Later this year, the Hackney Council will release the draft strategy.
What are the key priorities of Hackney council?
With an emphasis on reducing the achievement gaps between underprivileged groups and their counterparts, the council is dedicated to making sure that all schools offer top-notch instruction.
With plans to create over 300 more SEND places by September 2025, there is a major emphasis on improving SEND provision.
In order to make sure that services cater to the requirements of children with SEND, this involves speaking with professionals and families.
By offering information for individuals facing challenges like exclusions or SEND diagnoses, the council hopes to assist parents at different phases of their kids’ education.
To encourage more extensive conversations regarding the educational system, cross-borough parent forums are being created.
The future of single-form entry schools and the effective way to use the school estate to suit educational requirements are two topics that will be covered in the new strategy.