Smallwood Primary School and Language Unit - proposal for prescribed alterations to a maintained school

Overview

Introduction

Wandsworth Council is proposing to create more school places for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to better meet demand locally. This proposal sets out our plans for prescribed alterations at Smallwood Primary School, in accordance with Section 19(1) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006:

• Expanding the specialist base at Smallwood Primary School and Language Unit, as of September 2026.

It is proposed that this change will come into effect subject to statutory consultation and decision‑making processes.

Why are we proposing this change?

Wandsworth Council is committed to supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) locally, keeping them educated and cared for within Wandsworth or as close to their homes as possible.

Local sufficiency analysis indicates a significant increase in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN),  particularly at primary level. However, there is a shortage of specialist SLCN places within our existing special school provision, and we are having to commission places outside of Wandsworth, often in independent schools. As a result, many of our young people with SEND have to travel long distances to attend schools away from their communities. This has a significant impact on children and their families and brings with it a significant financial cost, which places additional budgetary pressures on the overall school system. There is also strong evidence that unmet SLCN in early and primary years is a key driver of later Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) escalation. Forecasts indicate demand for SLCN and SEMH provision will continue to rise at least to 2028.

Given this demand and our aspirations for children with SEND, Wandsworth Council is working with local schools to ensure they can meet higher levels of needs, which includes the expansion and establishment of specialist bases. Our analysis indicates an increase in specialist base capacity would be ideally located at Smallwood Primary School.

Description of the prescribed alterations

This proposal is to implement prescribed alterations to Smallwood Primary School, a community school which is maintained by the London Borough of Wandsworth.

Smallwood Primary School and Language Unit is a specialist unit for children with Education Health Care Plans, for whom speech, language and communication (SLCN) is the primary need. The Language Unit provides a multidisciplinary approach to learning. It is currently approved to provide 45 specialist base places, and it is  proposed to expand this to 80 places. The expansion will be delivered on a phased basis, with an initial opening of two additional classes from September 2026.

Evidence of demand

Over the last 5 years, Wandsworth has seen a sustained increase in both the number and complexity of children and young people with EHCPs, particularly at primary age. Additionally, between 2022/2023 to January 2026, EHCP requests have risen from 494 to 590. Further analysis shows:

• Rising demand for Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) provision at primary level,
• A significant and growing number of children presenting with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs at an earlier stage,
• Pressure on existing specialist provision resulting in increased use of independent and out‑of‑borough placements

Data indicates that Smallwood Primary School is located in an area with one of the highest concentration of children with an EHCP (Tooting Broadway).

This proposal forms part of the Council’s wider SEND sufficiency strategy to increase local specialist capacity and support children to be educated closer to home.

Objectives of the proposals

Specialist bases play a vital role in Wandsworth’s SEND system. The objectives of the proposals are to:

• Enable the Local Authority to meet its statutory duty to secure sufficient school places for children with SEND
• Increase specialist provision within inclusive mainstream school settings
• Improve outcomes for children through earlier access to appropriate specialist support
• Reduce travel distance and disruption for children and families
• Reduce reliance on independent and out‑of‑borough placements
• Increase parental choice by expanding the range of local specialist provision available, enabling more families to choose appropriate support for their child within a mainstream school setting close to home.

Proposed date of implementation

Subject to approval, the proposal will be implemented from September 2026, with provision growing on a phased basis over subsequent years.

Consultation documents

Please ensure you read the following documents before completing the consultation, so that you have all the information you need to respond.

Equality Impact Assessment

Frequently asked questions

How to share your views

It is important that we hear your views and we have arranged a number of opportunities to do so. All responses received during the consultation will be considered.

Wandsworth Council will begin consulting on Monday 01 June 2026 to get views on the outlined proposals. This will close on Sunday 28 June 2026.

• We would encourage you to complete the online survey as the most efficient and secure way to give your views. Please click on the Online Survey link below.  

• You can also send comments by post to the following address: Smallwood Primary School, Formal Consultation, Wandsworth Local Authority, Children’s Services’ Executive Support Team, 5th Floor, Wandsworth Town Hall, Wandsworth High Street, London, SW18 2PU

If you need to request a paper copy, a different language or format, or if you need any support to take part in the consultation, please call 020 8871 6000 (please quote 'Smallwood Consultation') or email consult@wandsworth.gov.uk (please put ‘Smallwood Consultation’ in the email heading).

Upon concluding the formal consultation stage, all views will be considered in full. The Director of Business and Resources has delegated decision approval to determine proposals within 2 months of consultation closure date.

Who we will consult

The local authority is consulting with pupils, parents and carers, staff, the governing board, MPs, trade unions and parents of schools and other local authorities affected by the proposal. We are also consulting with other groups as well as the wider local community.

Proposed Consultation Timeline