UPDATE ON STATUTORY CONSULTATION
On 18 September, Redbridge published a Statutory Notice: Proposal to Increase the Number of Places at New Rush Hall School from 80 to 140. This statutory notice does not connect the expansion proposal with the future of the Redbridge Music Service.
However, we know from previous information from the council that they really have only one plan to expand pupil numbers at NRHS: increasing its accommodation by taking over the John Savage Centre, leaving RMS without a home.
The consultation is unfair because the council has left out material information. Residents cannot make an intelligent and informed response because they cannot decide whether they support or oppose a 75% increase in NRHS’s capacity without understanding how the council plans to deliver that and the likely consequences.
So, we urge everyone to object. We have prepared some wording to help you respond - see below.
We need as many residents as possible to send authentic responses, explaining in their own words that they could not make an informed response because the council withheld information about how it planned to implement that change. And that directly evidences prejudice and consultation unfairness.
Please:
1. Pick one, adapt and and add two or three sentences in your own words; and
2. Email your objection to SchoolOrganisation@redbridge.gov.uk
Include in the subject "New Rush Hall School - Response to Statutory Consultation"
The deadline for responses is Friday 16 October, so please do act fast! See below for suggested responses.
Please continue to share the petition and urge everyone you know to respond to the consultation!
Suggested response text:
Very short version
I do not feel that the Council has provided enough information for residents to make an informed response. The consultation does not explain how the expansion would be delivered, what the consequences might be for other services, or why the Council is relying on consultation evidence collected nearly two years ago.
RMS parent
My child attends the Redbridge Music Service and benefits enormously from it. I am concerned because the Council has previously stated that the only option it is considering to achieve the expansion of New Rush Hall School is to take over the premises RMS currently occupies (the John Savage Centre). I fear this will be the likely outcome, inevitably leading to closure of the Music Service. The statutory notice does not mention any of this. As someone potentially affected, I do not believe I have been given enough information to understand the implications of the proposal or to make an informed response.
RMS student
I attend lessons and activities through the Redbridge Music Service. The consultation asks me whether I support the expansion of New Rush Hall School, but gives me no information about whether this might affect the Music Service or its future location. Therefore, I cannot give a fully informed view on the proposal.
Grandparent or family member
My grandchild/family member attends the Redbridge Music Service. I support both music education and appropriate SEND provision, but the Council has not explained how the proposed expansion would be delivered or what the consequences might be for existing services. Because of this lack of information, I do not feel that residents have been given a fair opportunity to comment.
Resident concerned about transparency
I am a Redbridge resident with no direct connection to either New Rush Hall School or the Music Service. However, I expect the council to take major decisions involving public assets and services transparently. The consultation does not explain how Redbridge plans to deliver the expansion, what options it has considered, or what other services may be affected. Therefore, I don’t think it has given residents enough information to make an informed response.
SEND supporter
I strongly support the provision of suitable education for children with SEND and fully recognise the importance of SEMH provision. However, supporting SEND provision does not mean supporting proposals without sufficient evidence or information. The consultation does not provide enough information for me to understand why this particular expansion is required or how it would be delivered.
Parent of a child at another school
As the parent of a child attending another Redbridge school, I am concerned about how educational resources and facilities are used across the borough. The consultation does not explain the wider consequences of the proposal or how the Council concluded that there would be no significant adverse effects on other educational provision. I do not feel able to make a properly informed response.
Taxpayer / value for money concern
As a local taxpayer, I expect a proposal of this scale to be accompanied by evidence demonstrating the need for expansion and information about how it would be funded and delivered. The consultation provides very little information on either issue, making it difficult to evaluate whether the proposal is a good use of public resources.
Community arts supporter
I value the contribution that RMS makes to the cultural and educational life of the borough. Given statements by the Council indicating that the future accommodation of the Music Service may be linked to the proposed school expansion, I am worried residents have not been given sufficient information about the possible consequences of the proposal.
Concern about old consultation evidence
I am particularly concerned that the Council relies on consultation responses collected almost two years before publication of the statutory notice. Important information has emerged since then, yet residents are not told whether those earlier respondents were aware of it. This makes it difficult to place confidence in the consultation evidence upon which the council is relying.