Best Start grants are delivering £150,000 of funding to Harrow as part of a £12 million national investment, marking what ministers call a transformative step in early education and childcare. The Best Start initiative promises to roll out 30 hours of government-funded childcare for working parents, saving families up to £7,500 per child per year.Continue reading “Best Start Grants: ambitious plans, modest means”
Tag Archives: education
SEND in Harrow: local reflections of a national crisis
Provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) remains one of England’s most persistent education challenges. Despite multiple reforms, the system is still fragmented, under-resourced, and overly bureaucratic, with outcomes for pupils and families falling short of the Government’s ambitions for inclusion and equity.Our recent review, “Special Educational Needs: SupportContinue reading “SEND in Harrow: local reflections of a national crisis”
Harrow faces major new duties in domestic abuse response
Harrow Council’s struggling children’s services face fresh pressure after the government unveiled sweeping reforms to strengthen protection for children living with domestic abuse. In its official response this month to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report Victims in Their Own Right, ministers pledged more than £500 million for Family First Partnerships and promised funding until 2029.Continue reading “Harrow faces major new duties in domestic abuse response”
Harrow SEND school politics
Harrow Council meets today (18 September 2025) to debate a motion from the ruling Conservative group demanding that the Labour Government honours the funding commitment for a new SEND school in the borough. With the Conservatives holding a majority, the motion is expected to pass. It is important to note that the Harrow project atContinue reading “Harrow SEND school politics”
Harrow council: leadership gaps, weak services
Harrow council’s performance is a story of contrasts. Where cabinet members provide strong and visible, vote-winning leadership – or push initiatives that resonate with Reform-leaning or nationalistic voters – progress is clear. In services affecting the most vulnerable, weak and undemanding leadership has left Harrow lagging behind more progressive London boroughs, for example where inadequateContinue reading “Harrow council: leadership gaps, weak services”
Harrow Labour hails victory as a Harrow school secures new ‘lollipop’ crossing guard after funding U-turn
Harrow Labour are celebrating a major win for road safety (Facebook page today), after Pinner Park Primary School appointed a new school crossing patrol – commonly known as a “Lollipop” guard – following a hard-fought campaign to protect funding for the service across the borough.Earlier this year, Harrow’s Conservative administration was to cut £26,000 fromContinue reading “Harrow Labour hails victory as a Harrow school secures new ‘lollipop’ crossing guard after funding U-turn”
After ‘inadequate’ children’s services, Harrow offers red tape instead of reform
Harrow Council has set out an action plan of procedural and structural reforms in response to Ofsted’s inadequate judgement of its children’s services and a subsequent Department for Education improvement notice. But critics warn the council has failed to tackle the deeper cultural and ethos challenges at the heart of the services.Commentators argue that Harrow’sContinue reading “After ‘inadequate’ children’s services, Harrow offers red tape instead of reform”
Harrow council under fire despite big spending pledges
Harrow council – controlled by the Conservatives after bucking London’s Labour wave in 2022 – is facing mounting criticism over failing services, even as it unveils major new investments.The borough has committed £42 million over three years to upgrade roads and pavements, alongside a £900,000 boost for street cleansing and a £6 million injection intoContinue reading “Harrow council under fire despite big spending pledges”
Harrow council administration playing down “inadequate” children’s services
Very serious matter that the Secretary of State has appointed an Adviser to provide advice to the Harrow Council, where the Council will work with the Adviser until some such time that the Secretary of State is satisfied that this is no longer required.Normally, the appointment of the Improvement Adviser is when the ability toContinue reading “Harrow council administration playing down “inadequate” children’s services”
Under Improvement Notice Harrow children’s services need wider safeguarding collaboration
Given that local councils have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within their area, it is appropriate to find how they have responded to the government publications ‘Child protection in religious organisations and setting Investigation Report’, and ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’.Their responsive action could include developing good working relationshipsContinue reading “Under Improvement Notice Harrow children’s services need wider safeguarding collaboration”
Harrow Monitoring Group 