London,
02
February
2023
|
15:09
Europe/London

New names proposed for Camden Centre for Learning PRU and Special School

Camden Centre for Learning (CCfL) is consulting on changing the name of its two sites, while a move is also under way to formalise CCfL’s year-long collaboration with Haverstock School, in Chalk Farm, into what would become a ‘hard’ federation under a single governing body.

Under the proposals, the CCfL Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), in Agincourt Road NW3, would be renamed Heath School, while the CCfL Special School, in Harmood Street NW1, would become known as Harmood School. If approved following the consultation, the changes would be implemented from the start of the summer term. 

At the same time, the governing bodies of both Haverstock School and CCfL are consulting on becoming a ‘hard’ federation, to be called H3, with a single governing body. This will build on the collaboration between the schools, under the leadership of Executive Headteacher James Hadley, that has been in place for just over a year.

The schools welcome your feedback on the two consultations, which both run from 2 February to 17 March. Please respond to the name change survey here and the H3 Federation survey here

James Hadley, Executive Headteacher of Haverstock School and CCfL

I am very much looking forward to leading Haverstock, Heath and Harmood schools on the exciting next stage of their journey as part of the proposed H3 Federation. Our schools have been made stronger through our work together as part of an increasingly collaborative Camden family of schools. 

James Hadley, Executive Headteacher of Haverstock School and CCfL
Councillor Marcus Boyland, Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families

We welcome these proposals. They are in line with Camden’s education strategy, Building Back Stronger, which encourages closer joint working between our schools in order to provide the best possible education for their students.

Councillor Marcus Boyland, Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families

Since last year, CCfL has undergone a significant period of change. The pupil referral unit (PRU) has merged into one school, meaning there are now two distinct provisions at the two sites.

The Harmood Street site is CCfL’s 11 to 16 special school, with 35 places for students with social, emotional and mental health needs, who also have education, health and care plans. Increasingly, students are coming to the school at a younger age, where they receive specialist support to enable them to access the full National Curriculum at Key Stage 3, before pursuing a range of academic and vocational qualifications at Key Stage 4.

The Agincourt Road site is an 11 to 16 PRU, with places for students who have been permanently excluded or 'managed moved' from other settings. Agincourt also leads on the Borough-wide 'Camden Pathways Programme', which commissions and quality assures a range of long-term off-site directions from mainstream settings to vocational Key Stage 4 providers. Agincourt places a heavy emphasis on students' personal development to enable them to return to mainstream or an appropriate alternative setting. 

CCfL entered a collaboration with Haverstock School in January 2022, under the leadership of Executive Headteacher James Hadley. With Haverstock already housing the Camden Reintegration Base (CRiB) and due to open an additionally resourced provision (ARP) in September 2023, the schools are working closely to provide a continuum of provision for some of the most vulnerable children in Camden.