Council Upholds Closure Decision for Specialist School
A South London council has firmly rejected a last-ditch attempt to postpone the closure of a cherished residential school in Kent for children with autism. Bradstow School is now confirmed to shut its doors for good on December 31, after Wandsworth Council's leadership, run by the Labour party, maintained that the institution is no longer financially sustainable.
Call for Transparency Rejected
Conservative councillors had challenged the cabinet's original decision, made on November 3, to close the school. They initiated a 'call-in' process, arguing that the ruling might have breached regulations concerning transparency and reasonableness. Their primary goal was to secure a delay, providing the school's governors with additional time to find a viable solution to keep it operational.
However, after a debate held on November 17, the council's general overview and scrutiny committee turned down this request. This final decision means the closure will proceed as planned at the year's end.
Financial Unsustainability Cited as Key Reason
Labour councillor Sheila Boswell acknowledged the profound disappointment the decision would cause. She stated, "I know this decision will be viewed as unpopular and I know it’s a huge disappointment to the staff and families of the Bradstow School community." She was quick to clarify that the closure was not a reflection on the quality of care and education provided by the staff, but was solely based on the school's dire financial position, which she described as "unsustainable".
Wandsworth Council inherited Bradstow School in 1990. The school offers term-time accommodation for autistic children with complex needs, aged five to 19. Although used by many local authorities over the years, the majority of its pupils have typically come from Kent.
A detailed council report revealed that Wandsworth had been collaborating with Kent County Council since November 2021 to explore a potential transfer of the provision. However, Kent decided not to proceed with this option in October of the previous year. With other councils unwilling to pay the fees required to ensure its viability, Wandsworth said it was left with no alternative but to propose closure.
The school's financial woes are significant. It carries an overall deficit of nearly £1 million and has debts totalling £5.3 million with other local authorities, including a substantial £4.6 million owed by Kent County Council. Wandsworth Council has now commenced legal proceedings to recover these outstanding fees.
Fight for Future and Families' Anguish
In a bid to save the school, the council had already delayed the closure process by six months this year. This was to allow governors time to secure its future by converting it into an academy. However, the Department for Education (DfE) advised in July that it could not approve an application from the Cygnus Academy Trust. Crucially, the DfE did not confirm whether it would approve a subsequent application from the Bridge Academy Trust before the council's final decision on November 3.
Sarah Adams, the headteacher of Bradstow School, expressed deep frustration, stating that the school had demonstrated its viability but felt its efforts were blocked. She highlighted that new admissions had been prevented and pleaded for more time to make an informed decision about academisation. The school currently has just 11 pupils, only one of whom is from Wandsworth.
"The impact goes far beyond one school and will be felt for years," Ms Adams said. "Families feel deeply let down. Many have spent years fighting for the right support, only now to face long journeys, unfamiliar settings and the fear of their children being uprooted from the adults who know them best."
During the scrutiny meeting, Conservative councillor Aled Richards-Jones contended there was a lack of openness and transparency, as full correspondence with the DfE had not been published ahead of the key meeting. He argued this created a risk that the decision was unreasonable.
In response, Labour councillor Judi Gasser explained that council officers had repeatedly asked the DfE for reassurance about the academy conversion, which was not forthcoming. She inferred from the DfE's correspondence that the Bridge Academy Trust application would also be rejected, a fact the DfE confirmed soon after the closure decision was made. "We have allowed plenty of time to explore these academy options and, unfortunately, they’ve come to nothing so far. I don’t see an alternative. I’ve run out of options. We’ve come to the end of the road," she stated.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the cabinet agreed to take no further action on the call-in request. The vote was three in favour and two against, sealing the fate of Bradstow School and confirming its closure on December 31.
