Brighton Special School Earmarked For Consultation On Closure

A special school is earmarked to close, with the council’s new cabinet being asked to approve the necessary statutory consultation process.

Brighton and Hove City Council plans to close Homewood College for good in December – three years after the school was rated inadequate after an official inspection by education watchdog Ofsted.

The council has stopped sending pupils to Homewood College and the school is not expected to have any pupils at the start of the new academic year in September.

The school catered for children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

In the current academic year, the school has 35 pupils, with 13 about to move on to post-16 education and the others to be laced elsewhere.

A report to the cabinet, which meets on Thursday (June 27), said that follow up visits by Ofsted, including one last December, found that attendance was poor and staff turnover as high.

The report said:

“Despite efforts that have been made over the last two years to improve the provision by school leaders and staff working with council services, some of the problems facing the school are complex and long-standing and the quality of education at the school, as well as attendance by pupils, has been declining.

“With the support of the Department for Education’s regional director for the south east, the Beckmead Academy Trust has been offering support to the leadership of the school.

“However, the trust’s support is only short term and it is not in a position to offer permanent sponsorship to the school.

“Council officers remain concerned that fewer than half the 36 pupils on the school roll have attended the school site this academic year and, for those are who are attending, the quality of education is unsatisfactory and the outcomes for pupils have not been good enough.”

At the end of the 2022-23 financial year, the school had a cumulative overspend of £343,000 – and this is expected to rise to £709,000 at the end of the current school year.

On Thursday, the cabinet faces a public question asking:

“Where is the cost-benefit analysis that was promised? This document (the council report) appears to have no costings.”

Green councillor Sue Shanks also plans to ask the council’s cabinet what will happen to the empty school buildings – not just at Homewood but at Hertford Infant School and St Bartholomew’s, in Brighton, and St Peter’s, in Portslade.

Conservative group leader Alistair McNair plans to ask what the likelihood is of the public consultation leading to Homewood staying open and what measures are in place to support current pupils.

Another report to the cabinet asks members to approve alternative arrangements for young people with social, emotional and mental health needs who require a special school place as Homewood is “decommissioned”.

Proposals include expanding the pupil referral unit (PRU), in Lynchet Close, Hollingdean, to provide 12 places for year 7 pupils in September and 12 more in September 2025, giving them a “middle school” to help them move from primary to secondary school.

A further 20 places are being commissioned through the Beckmead Academy Trust at the former PRU at St George’s House, in Dyke Road, Brighton. This will have links to local s colleges to try to improve students’ transition to further education.

But 50 more specialist school places would be needed, with plans to offer these in partnership with one of the neighbouring county councils – East Sussex or West Sussex.

The council said:

“Councillors will be discussing proposals to launch a public consultation on the potential closure of Homewood College. At present no decision has been made and the school remains open.

“We are not able to comment further at this stage other than to say we have consulted with parents and carers of students at the school and school staff and kept everyone impacted by the potential plans informed throughout this process.

“The educational needs of every child at Homewood College will be fully considered before any final decision is taken and if closure is eventually approved, we will work hard to ensure no student’s education will be negatively impacted as a result.”

The cabinet is due to meet at 2pm on Thursday (July 27) at Brighton Town Hall.