Barnet Local OfferBarnet Local Offer

created by NB published on 17 June 2022

Northway Expansion Formal Consultation

The Council’s SEND Strategy (2021 – 2024) sets out ambitious and realistic objectives to ensure Barnet’s provision is the first choice for children and young people with high needs and their families.

A priority of the SEND Strategy is the need to ensure that there is sufficient high-quality provision in Barnet for children with special educational needs who need access to specialist educational provision. The local authority is also committed to ensuring that children and young people with SEND benefit from inclusion in their local community by ensuring that they can access the right provision as close to their home as possible, and thus reducing the need for them to have to travel long distances to access out of borough or independent provision due to a lack of suitable in-borough provision.

The SEND Strategy also recognises that children with complex learning needs are increasing in numbers and will require specialist intervention supported in specialist provision, including special schools.

Following an informal consultation on the expansion of Northway Special School which took place from 7th March 2022 to 25th March 2022, the Council is now formally consulting on this proposal. Feedback from the informal consultation suggested that both School staff and Parent/Carers received the proposal positively and no objections were received. A number of operational issues were raised by the school staff and these were responded to by the Northway Headteacher and/or would be part of the imminent internal staff consultation. Parent/Carer feedback was positive, with parent interest in the development of the Key Stage 3 curriculum.

If you would like to know more about the proposals for the expansion of Northway Special School you are welcome to join two sessions being run with Danielle Barker, Head Teacher and Linda Orr, Head of SEN on the following dates and times: