ePetition details

Queensmill School Funding Crisis

We the undersigned petition the council to agree to the recommended increase in top up funding for Queensmill School as set out by Mr F Adu , Ms A Bel, and the Queensmill Trust trustees.

Queensmill School is an SEN provision in Shepherd's Bush which supports young people with a diagnosis of Autism.

The LBHF is not currently paying the same level of top up funding as other London boroughs who send young people to Queensmill School.

This decision is having a detrimental effect on the services the school can offer and needs to be reversed.

This ePetition ran from 07/02/2023 to 28/05/2023 and has now finished.

144 people signed this ePetition.

Council response

The local authority have been working with Queensmill Academy Trust and the Department for Education over a significant period of time.

Queensmill has received an increase in funding for this financial year bringing the amount Hammersmith and Fulham provides in line with other local authorities. This includes:

• An increase in place and top-up funding which was agreed by schools forum reflecting the Minimum Funding Guarantee and an additional 3.4% lump sum on their proposed 2023/24 place and top up budget.

• An further increase to the overall top-up for the Trust was also agreed.

This is in addition to a significant increase in place funding provided when they became an academy.

All schools and trusts have the responsibility to operate within the funding provided. We have requested a business case from Queensmill Academy, along with a medium-term financial strategy. These have been sent to us and we are working with the Trust to review these.

Local authority officers continue to work with the Trust, the DfE, and other local authorities to reach a resolution to this matter.

- Councillor Alex Sanderson, Cabinet Member for Children and Education