The Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday 5 November 2026. The meeting's agenda includes discussions on school place planning, a consultation regarding the future of several schools, and an update on provisional exam results.

2026 School Place Planning Report

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the 2026 School Place Planning Report¹. This report, from the Director of Education Commissioning and Inclusion, will cover the Council's legal duty to ensure sufficient, high-quality, and inclusive education provision for all children in the borough, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). It will also address the management of school places to prevent surplus capacity and outline the programme of work to maintain the sufficiency, quality, and viability of Camden's schools and SEND provision. The report notes declining pupil numbers and increasing demand for SEND provision, leading to financial pressures and a reliance on independent and out-of-borough placements. A School Sufficiency Programme has been established, and a SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Commissioning Plan is being developed.

Strong and Sustainable Schools Consultation

A report will be presented regarding the Strong and Sustainable Schools Consultation². This follows a Cabinet decision on 20 October 2026 to consult stakeholders on structural options for four Camden schools: St Alban's Church of England Primary School, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, and La Sainte Union Catholic Secondary School. The consultation, running from 2 November to 14 December 2026, will seek comments on options such as reducing Published Admission Numbers (PAN), amalgamation, federation, or closure. The report highlights significant demographic changes, declining demand for school places, and increasing financial pressures as the drivers for these considerations.

Update on Provisional School Exam Results 2026

The committee will receive an update on the provisional school exam outcomes for the 2025-26 academic year for maintained schools in Camden³. This report from the Chief Executive Officer of Camden Learning will cover Early Years Foundation Stage results, the Year 1 Phonics check, and Key Stages 2, 4, and 5 results. It is noted that these outcomes are provisional, with final validated data and more detailed analysis, including comparisons with national averages, to be presented in February 2027.

London Borough of Camden Children's Statutory Services Complaints Report 2025/2026

A report will be presented on complaints made to Camden's Children's statutory services between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026⁴. This annual report, a statutory requirement, will provide information on the number and types of complaints, their outcomes, and identified themes and lessons learned. It will also include data on complainant demographics and an overview of the SEND Service complaints.

Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee's Work Programme and Action Tracker 2026/27

The committee will review its Work Programme for 2026/27, as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report⁵. This programme reflects corporate priorities, portfolio holder objectives, and areas identified by the committee. An update on actions requested at previous meetings, detailed in Appendix 2, will also be provided.