Urgent Modular Buildings Approved for Barnet SEND Places 2026; North London 2026

Key Points

• Barnet Council has approved urgent building works to create “additional interim” school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by September 2026
• John Anthony, the local authority’s executive director of children’s services, signed off the plans on Thursday, 11th June 2025, at the Queenswell Schools site in Whetstone
• The project involves commissioning quick-build “modular” facilities to address an expected shortage of places where “existing provision is outstripped by projected demand”
• Oakleigh Junior School and Mapledown Secondary School are expected to be oversubscribed from September 2026 onwards, according to a report prepared ahead of the decision
• The authority will enter into a £3.65million contract paid through grant funding from the Department for Education (DfE)
• Wernick Buildings, part of The Wernick Group, will receive the contract; the company specialises in “sale and hire of permanent and temporary modular buildings, site accommodation and off-grid power solutions” and reported a turnover of more than £200m in 2024
• Facilities will be delivered over phases: initial phase commencing immediately for September 2026, second phase for September 2027 onwards
• Mapledown School will see construction of “five modular build classrooms, therapy spaces and associated staff and ancillary spaces”, including toilets, on a disused playing field separate from the mainstream school site
• One “modular build classroom” will be built on the early years playground at Queenswell Infant and Nursery School
• The council warns that providing SEND pupils with places in dedicated buildings provides the best outcomes for their schooling compared to other options

Barnet (North London News) June 22, 2026 – Urgent building works have been approved by Barnet Council to create “additional interim” school places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by September 2026, as the local authority warns that “existing provision is outstripped by projected demand”.

John Anthony, the local authority’s executive director of children’s services, signed off on the plans on Thursday, 11th June 2025, to set up provision at the Queenswell Schools site in Whetstone to address the expected shortage of places.

The plans involve commissioning quick-build “modular” facilities, following the council’s warning that current capacity cannot meet anticipated needs.

Why Are Oakleigh Junior School and Mapledown Secondary School Expected to Be Oversubscribed from September 2026?

According to a report prepared ahead of the decision, the council expects Oakleigh Junior School and Mapledown Secondary School to be oversubscribed from September 2026 onwards.

The report identifies a projected shortage of places for SEND pupils, prompting the urgent approval of modular facilities to bridge the gap.

As reported by the journalist covering the story for Harrow Online, the council has determined that the current SEND provision is insufficient to accommodate the growing number of children requiring specialised support.

How Will the £3.65million Contract Be Funded and Who Will Build the Modular Facilities?

The authority will now enter into a £3.65million contract paid for through grant funding from the Department for Education (DfE). The contract is set to go to Wernick Buildings, part of The Wernick Group.

The business, which had a reported turnover of more than £200m in 2024, describes itself as a group of companies specialisinging in the

“sale and hire of permanent and temporary modular buildings, site accommodation and off-grid power solutions”.

Wernick Buildings will be responsible for constructing the modular classrooms and associated spaces required for the SEND provision.

What Specific Modular Facilities Will Be Built at Mapledown School and Queenswell Infant and Nursery School?

Once the deal is signed, the “interim” measures will be delivered “over phases” with an initial phase “commencing immediately to meet the most urgent need for September 2026”. A second phase will be for September 2027 onwards.

Mapledown School, Queenswell Infant and Nursery School and Oakleigh School are set to house the facilities needed by this September.

At Mapledown School, the construction will include “five modular build classrooms, therapy spaces and associated staff and ancillary spaces”, including toilets.

The council says these facilities will be “installed” on a disused playing field and former playground, which is separate from the mainstream school site.

One “modular build classroom” will be built on the early years playground at Queenswell Infant and Nursery School.

Why Does Barnet Council Believe Dedicated Buildings Provide the Best Outcomes for SEND Pupils?

According to a cabinet report reviewed ahead of the decision,

“providing SEND pupils with places in dedicated buildings provides the best outcomes for their schooling in comparison to the other options”.

This rationale underpins the council’s decision to approve modular facilities rather than integrating SEND pupils into existing mainstream classrooms without specialised infrastructure.

The report highlights that dedicated spaces allow for tailored therapy provision, specialised staff areas, and ancillary spaces that support the unique needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Background: The Development of SEND Provision Challenges in Barnet

The approval of urgent modular buildings for SEND school places in Barnet comes amid a broader national and local crisis in special educational needs provision.

The government has promised to create 50,000 more places for children with special educational needs (SEND) in mainstream schools in England, and councils have been given £3bn to create thousands more spaces for SEND pupils.

In Barnet specifically, the council has been grappling with increasing demand for SEND places while existing provision remains static.

The report prepared ahead of John Anthony’s decision highlights that projected demand for SEND places is outstripping current capacity, particularly at Oakleigh Junior School and Mapledown Secondary School from September 2026 onwards.

The decision to use modular buildings reflects a growing trend among local authorities to adopt quick-build solutions rather than waiting for permanent construction projects, which can take years to complete. Wernick Buildings, the company selected for the contract, has established itself as a major player in the modular building sector with a reported turnover exceeding £200m in 2024.

The phased approach—initial phase for September 2026 and second phase for September 2027—indicates that the council anticipates the shortage will persist beyond the immediate term, requiring ongoing expansion of SEND provision.

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Prediction: How Will This Development Affect SEND Pupils, Parents, and Schools in Barnet?

This development will directly affect SEND pupils in Barnet by providing them with additional school places sooner than would be possible through traditional construction methods.

The initial phase commencing immediately for September 2026 means that children who would otherwise face waiting lists or be unable to secure placements will have access to dedicated educational spaces.

For parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities, the approval of modular facilities offers reassurance that the council is actively addressing the shortage of places.

The creation of dedicated buildings with therapy spaces and specialised ancillary areas means that their children will receive education in environments designed to support their specific needs, rather than being integrated into mainstream classrooms without adequate infrastructure.

Oakleigh Junior School and Mapledown Secondary School will benefit from reduced oversubscription pressure from September 2026 onwards.

The five modular classrooms at Mapledown, plus therapy spaces and staff areas, will increase capacity and allow the schools to accept more SEND pupils without compromising on the quality of provision.

The use of a disused playing field and former playground at Mapledown, separate from the mainstream school site, means that mainstream pupils will not experience disruption from construction works or reduced access to existing facilities.

However, parents and pupils at Queenswell Infant and Nursery School may see changes to the early years playground where one modular classroom will be built.

The £3.65million contract funded through DfE grant funding means that Barnet residents will not bear the direct cost of this expansion, as the funding comes from central government rather than local council budgets. This frees up local resources for other children’s services priorities.

The phased delivery extending to September 2027 suggests that the council anticipates continued demand for SEND places beyond the immediate shortage, meaning that parents should expect ongoing expansion of provision rather than a one-time solution.

Families planning for their children’s education in Barnet should consider that SEND capacity will increase over the next two years, potentially affecting waiting list times and placement availability.

The selection of Wernick Buildings, a company with extensive experience in modular construction, indicates that the council expects the facilities to be delivered reliably and to specification, reducing the risk of delays that could affect September 2026 start dates.