Key Points
- Hunters Hall Primary School in Albion Road, Dagenham, seeks to build a small extension for a new classroom dedicated to children with special educational needs (SEN).​
- The classroom will be constructed on a section of the school’s current playground, with no net loss of play space due to surplus macadam surfaced areas used for ball games.​
- The extension will enable the school to support 3-4 additional pupils with SEN, addressing limited facilities in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham for a growing number of such pupils.​
- The school already has a dedicated team and teaching space for some SEN pupils but requires more to meet borough demands.​
- Barking and Dagenham Council planning officers approved the plans on Tuesday, 16th December, noting the playspace would be relocated to another site area.​
- Council officers stated the classroom would support learning, boost inclusivity and accessibility, and enhance the school’s overall environment quality.​
- Hunters Hall Primary School hosts an Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) for Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), providing up to 6 places for pupils with severe Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) or Speech Sound Disorder (SSD).​
- The ARP offers intensive speech therapy and specialist teaching in a mainstream setting, with short-term placements (1-3 years) for significant progress, excluding pupils with behaviour difficulties, global delay, complex needs, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).​
New Classroom Approval Marks Step Forward for SEN Provision in Dagenham
Barking and Dagenham Council has greenlit plans for a new classroom at Hunters Hall Primary School in Dagenham, aimed at better supporting children with special educational needs. The approval, granted by council planning officers on Tuesday, 16th December, allows for a small extension on the school’s Albion Road site. This development addresses the rising demand for SEN facilities in the borough amid limited existing options.​
The inverted pyramid structure prioritises the most critical facts: the approval itself, its purpose, location, and immediate benefits. As reported in the Yellow Advertiser article titled “New classroom approved for school in Dagenham,” the plans promise to “greatly benefit the school” by accommodating between three and four new pupils with SEN. The article details how the extension fits into the school’s ongoing commitment to inclusion, building on its existing dedicated SEN team and spaces.​
Council planning officers emphasised in their decision notice that the existing playspace occupied by the new build would simply be relocated to another area on site, ensuring “no loss of playspace on site.” They further highlighted the positive impacts, stating the classroom “would support learning, increase inclusivity and accessibility, and contribute positively to the overall quality of the school environment.” These comments underscore the council’s balanced assessment of educational gains against any minor site adjustments.​
What Is the Location and Scope of the New Classroom?
Hunters Hall Primary School, situated on Alibon Road in Dagenham, RM10 8DE, proposes the extension on a portion of its current playground. Plans submitted to Barking and Dagenham Council describe the project as a “small” addition, specifically designed to house the SEN classroom without encroaching on essential play areas. A statement accompanying the planning application notes: “there would be ‘no loss of play space’ as the school ‘has a surplus of macadam surfaced playground areas that are used for ball games’.” This surplus allows for seamless relocation of the affected space.​
The school’s location in the heart of Dagenham positions it well to serve local families facing SEN challenges. According to the Barking and Dagenham Local Offer website, Hunters Hall operates a Speech, Language and Communication ARP, one of several mainstream provisions across the borough tailored for specific needs. This ARP provides up to six places for children with primary SLCN difficulties, integrating specialist support within a mainstream environment.​
Why Does Hunters Hall Primary School Need This Extension?
The driving force behind the extension is the “growing number of pupils with special educational needs” in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, where “very limited educational facilities” exist. As outlined in the planning statement reported by the Yellow Advertiser, “Hunters Hall Primary School already have a dedicated team of staff and teaching space for some pupils with needs but need additional facilities to cater for demands on the borough.” The new classroom directly responds to this gap, enabling support for 3-4 more pupils.​
The school’s ARP for SLCN, detailed on its official website, focuses on severe Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and/or Speech Sound Disorder (SSD). It delivers “intensive speech therapy and specialist teaching within a mainstream setting,” with placements typically lasting 1-3 years to foster “significant progress in their speech and language.” Notably, the ARP explicitly does not admit pupils with behaviour difficulties, global delay, complex needs, or known biomedical conditions such as autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), instead signposting parents to other borough ARPs suited to those profiles.​
This expansion aligns with broader SEN strategies in Barking and Dagenham, where most children with SEND attend local mainstream schools. The Local Offer emphasises provisions like ARPs to offer “teaching staff with additional knowledge, skills and expertise,” specialist environments, small-step progress tracking, and integrated mainstream lessons with extra resources.​
How Will the New Classroom Affect Play Space at the School?
Concerns over play space loss are directly addressed in both the application and council response. The planning statement asserts no overall reduction, thanks to the school’s excess macadam areas for ball games. Council officers confirmed:
“As the existing playspace would be relocated, there would be no loss of playspace on site.”
This relocation maintains the playground’s functionality while prioritising educational expansion.​
Hunters Hall’s site already supports active play, as evidenced by ongoing local initiatives. For instance, a School Street scheme on nearby Alibon Road and Rockwell Road (between Hunters Hall Road and Wantz Road) operates term-time pedestrian and cycle-only zones from 8am to 9:15am and 2:45pm to 4pm, promoting safer access for children walking, wheeling, cycling, or scooting. Exemptions apply to emergency vehicles, residents, school staff, carers, blue badge holders, and local businesses.​
When and How Was the Approval Granted by the Council?
Planning officers at Barking and Dagenham Council approved the application on Tuesday, 16th December. Their report, as cited in the Yellow Advertiser, focused on the project’s minimal footprint and maximal benefits. No public objections or broader consultations are mentioned in available coverage, suggesting a straightforward process.​
The decision fits into the council’s pattern of supporting educational infrastructure. Recent planning lists include various school-related approvals, though specifics on Hunters Hall remain centred on this extension.​
What Broader Context Surrounds SEN Support at Hunters Hall?
Hunters Hall Primary School demonstrates a strong track record in SEN inclusion. Its SLCN ARP integrates pupils into mainstream classes while providing targeted interventions, as per school documentation. The Ofsted report notes a 78-place part-time nursery and Reception class, with the school adapting to diverse needs.​
The borough’s SEND framework prioritises mainstream placements, with ARPs specialising in areas like autism, complex learning, SEMH, hearing impairment, and SLCN. Hunters Hall’s provision complements others, such as those at Valence Primary or Ripple Primary. Recent accolades, like its status as a Thrive Approach Ambassador School with Excellence in the Environment, highlight a nurturing ethos.​
Who Benefits Most from This New Classroom?
Primarily, 3-4 additional pupils with SEN will gain access to specialised space, enhancing learning outcomes. The school benefits by expanding capacity without straining resources, while the borough addresses systemic shortages. Parents receive better local options, reducing travel for therapy-integrated education.​
Council officers’ endorsement reinforces community-wide gains in inclusivity. As the planning statement puts it:
“The extension is small, but would greatly benefit the school.”
This modest project exemplifies targeted investment in Dagenham’s educational landscape.​
What Are the Next Steps Following Approval?
With approval secured, construction timelines remain unspecified in reports, but the small scale suggests prompt progress. The school must comply with relocation plans and any minor conditions. Ongoing monitoring via the council’s planning register will track implementation.
