Update on Bradstow School in Kent
Wandsworth Council has confirmed that Bradstow School in Kent will close on 31 December 2025, following a recent public consultation.
Bradstow School is a residential special school in Kent and has supported children with complex learning needs and autism since 1990, when it was inherited by Wandsworth Council.
In November last year, Wandsworth Council proposed closing Bradstow School at the end of the 2024/25 academic year. This decision was purely driven by the unwillingness of some councils to pay fees at a level needed to ensure the school remains viable.
Since then, Wandsworth Council has consulted with families, school staff and other stakeholders on the future of the school. It even delayed the date of the proposed closure to support the school to explore an academy application with the Department for Education, which was not approved.
Judi Gasser, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, said: "It is with deep and genuine regret that we are now moving forward with the proposal to close Bradstow School in Kent on 31 December following the recent consultation.
"We have worked tirelessly to secure a different outcome and this proposal is in no way a reflection of the quality of support or education provided. It arises solely from financial challenges and challenges related to non-payment of fees by other local authorities, mostly with Kent County Council. Our responsibility is to Wandsworth children; we cannot continue underwriting Bradstow’s losses using money intended for Wandsworth families.
"There is only one Wandsworth child still attending the school. In collaboration with their parents, we have secured an offer of an alternative placement for them.
“Our priority is to support the school’s leadership to ensure that any transition is smooth and that children continue to receive high-quality, specialised support. We thank Bradstow’s dedicated staff for their invaluable service over the years and we will continue to work with them closely throughout this process.”
Wandsworth Council is committed to supporting children with SEND locally, keeping them educated and cared for within Wandsworth or as close to their homes as possible.
It has invested £41m in expanding SEND provision in Wandsworth creating over 271 places since 2021, of which £34m is on a purpose-built expansion of Paddock Secondary and Sixth Form School to improve our local provision for children with complex special educational needs. This is to enable all children with SEND to successfully retain their close links to family and friends.