Share your views on the future of education in Hackney

Hackney families and organisations are invited to have their say in the Council’s draft Education Strategic Plan for 2025-2028, which outlines the borough’s top priorities for the next three years. 

The draft plan was developed after early engagement with families, schools, settings, and other partner organisations. The aim of the plan is to ensure Hackney’s education offer is child-focused, strong, fair, anti-racist and inclusive, working in partnership to adapt quickly and respond to the changing needs of local children and their families.

The plan acknowledges the great improvements that transformed Hackney’s education over the past two decades, as well as some of the challenges that the Council needs to respond to as it prioritises its limited resources.

The strategic plan outlines the five main priorities for 2025-2028:

• Providing the right support at the right time for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), focusing on early help, inclusion, and involving parents and carers as partners;
• Developing an Additional and Alternative Learning Service to ensure all pupils have access to a support model that treats children and young people fairly and equally and responds to their needs, promoting inclusive practice, and reducing exclusions;
• Ensuring that Hackney schools, children’s centres and settings are strong, sustainable and financially viable, working in partnership to provide the best possible outcomes for their children;
• Delivering a local education system that remains successful and is affordable and sustainable, encouraging schools to share best practice, innovate and support each other;
• Ensuring equity for children and families, so that children can follow their dreams and achieve the best possible outcomes, in particular for those that may need more support to thrive.

The aim of the plan is to look at ways to immediately address some of the increasingly complex challenges that Hackney is facing, which include:

• A drastic fall in the number of children;
• A significant increase in the number of pupils with complex special educational needs and disabilities;
• High number of exclusions of secondary school pupils;
• Schools and settings facing financial challenges;
• Difficulty in finding and retaining qualified staff. 

“Hackney is changing, and as leaders it is important we respond to the changes. We face significant challenges ahead, and we must consider carefully how we prioritise our work so that children and young people from all backgrounds have access to the same level of support, quality education and opportunities.

“As many other councils, we have limited resources after many years of chronic underfunding. It is therefore more important than ever that we look at long term solutions, working together with our partners and our communities so that no family is left behind. 

“Only by acknowledging our collective responsibility can we ensure that Hackney remains the vibrant, open and welcoming borough for all, a place that we are all proud to call home.

“We encourage all those interested in the future of education in Hackney to read our draft strategic plan, and have their say.”

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Deputy Mayor of Hackney and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Young People

Those interested to find out more are invited to visit the consultation page, at bit.ly/educationplan2025, or to join one of the in-person or online information sessions between July and September. 

The consultation is open between 7 July and 22 September 2025. 

The feedback received during the consultation period will be considered when preparing the final Education Strategic Plan, which is expected to be published before the end of this year.