The former Baden Powell Primary School in Clapton, would be repurposed to offer 48 new special school places for children and young people with SEND as part of an expansion of Ickburgh School.
If agreed, the Baden Powell site in Powell Road would undergo significant refurbishment and adaptation for the new pupils.
This would include refurbished classroom spaces, shared breakout and group areas and specialist art and food technology rooms.
Ickburgh’s main site in Kenworthy Road would remain unchanged.
Ickburgh School is one of three maintained special schools in Hackney, dedicated to supporting children and young people with SEND whose needs cannot be met within a mainstream setting.
The proposed expansion aims to provide high-quality specialist education, allowing children to stay connected to their local support networks and reducing the need for long-distance travel.
The initiative would also help decrease the council’s reliance on more expensive out-of-borough or independent school placements and create local jobs.
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Cllr Anya Sizer, Deputy cabinet member for families, early years and SEND: “We know that we can only support every child and young person with additional needs by working together and investing our resources carefully.
“Repurposing the site of the Baden Powell Primary School into specialist provision would allow us to offer more tailored support for our children in greatest need closer to their home and continue to benefit our community for years to come.
“Since the start of the primary school closures in 2024, we have been committed to repurposing all of the buildings in the Council’s control, to ensure they stay in public ownership and help address the challenges the borough faces, rather than being sold off or sitting empty.”
Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney added: “By investing in this now vacant site, we are continuing to meet our commitment to create over 300 high quality places for the use of our children with SEND, and give new life to the building.”
Baden Powell Primary School closed in August 2024 due to falling pupil numbers and merged with Nightingale Primary School.
