When Emily Hopla found out her daughter Ivy had cerebral palsy months after giving birth, she believed that at least she would be supported in her education throughout Ivy’s time at school. However, four years later, she feels abandoned by Hillingdon Council at the first stage of her education.
As the local authority continues a public consultation around plans to close or withdraw the SRP (Specialist Resource Provision) at Coteford Infant School in Pinner, citing ‘declining demand for places’, Ivy’s case has garnered much support online, appearing to contradict that.
There has been uproar in response to the threat to the SRP at Coteford Infant School. The provisions, which give specialist on-site support to disabled children, are vital to a number of families. The council claims it’s merely a technical change and won’t affect pupils, but that’s not been Emily’s experience so far.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Without early intervention, kids like Ivy are set up to struggle even more. This isn’t just about school — it’s about their future. It’s about integrating them in mainstream school so they thrive in mainstream society. Where’s the inclusion they keep talking about? Because Coteford actually practises it, not just talks about it.”
In January 2023, Emily applied for Ivy to join the Coteford SRP in September 2024 because the on-site support was something she felt would help her child thrive. However, she was told by the council in February this year that the Coteford SRP was no longer taking admissions – something that was news to the school at the time.
Ivy was enrolled at Coteford as the school was under the impression it could still offer her that extra support. But since starting she has been unable to access the crucial SRP.
Earlier this month, Hillingdon Council then announced a public consultation around plans to close down the SRP. In statements since then, the council says there has been a decline in demand, and an expectation that children with physical disabilities receive support in mainstream education.
Emily told the LDRS: “Nobody gave me any options. Nobody explained what we were supposed to do next. They just dropped it on us and left us to fend for ourselves.
“I continued to email and state I wanted an SRP for Ivy but got told on numerous occasions over the course of months that Coteford was no longer taking admissions as far back as February and that’s when I knew I had a fight ahead of me. But I didn’t realise just how much of a fight. It was as if they’d decided long ago that Ivy didn’t matter.”
Almost six weeks into the first half term, Ivy is still missing out on crucial support as Emily says she was blocked from joining the SRP at Coteford. She hasn’t had a speech and language therapist this term, which she says she would have had as part of her care plan in the SRP. Her mother says the entire process has devastated them as a family,
“The school is doing its best, but without the SRP, Ivy isn’t getting what she needs … The guilt is unbearable. I feel like I’ve failed Ivy at every turn, and all because the council decided she didn’t matter. Why was my child left behind in their plan to shut this SRP down?” she said.
In September 2024, the council announced that they had plans to close the SRP at Coteford, though claimed it’s not technically closing anything because it’s not a physical unit or classroom. These plans have gone out to public consultation and at the time of writing, no decision has been made.
However, campaigners from Friends of Coteford, and ex-pupils such as gold medallist Paralympian Natasha Baker are suspicious of the council’s reasoning for the plans. With Ivy being apparently blocked by the council from joining the SRP, despite the school informing Ivy’s mum they had a place for her, many feel this ‘decline in demand’ cited by the council as a reason for closure has been manufactured – with Ivy’s situation being an example of this.
Emily said she was furious when she heard that claim. She said: “How can they claim there’s no demand when children like Ivy clearly need this provision? Disabilities don’t go away. The SRP has helped so many children — kids who have gone on to achieve incredible things, like Paralympians.
“So what’s really going on here? It’s clear this was their plan all along. They’re willing to sacrifice children like Ivy just to push through their agenda.”
She believes this is evidence the council does not have their priorities in order. She said: “This isn’t about what’s right for the children who need this provision, it’s about numbers and money. They’re not looking at Ivy as a person, they are looking at her as a number on a spreadsheet but she is a child with real needs; they’re seeing her as an inconvenience. How many more children have to suffer before they admit they’ve failed us?”
As the public consultation comes to a close this Friday (October 25), campaigners, parents and ex-pupils of Coteford have urged Hillingdon Council to rethink plans to close the SRP. Emily said: “What if this was your child? What if your child was being denied the support they need? How would you feel if you had to fight this hard just to get your child the basics?
“Ivy is 4 years old. She’s already had to fight for everything in her life and she will continue to do so. And now she’s being forced to fight for her education too?”
Hillingdon Council has suggested in previous statements the school has seen a decline in admissions, however it is worth noting that post-pandemic, many schools have seen a general decline in pupil numbers.
A Hillingdon Council spokesperson said: “Admission to Coteford Infant School has always remained open. Pupils at the school with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are already attending mainstream lessons full time with the support outlined in their plans being provided in this environment. The Specialist Resource Provision (SRP) is not a separate learning space and therefore the proposal is not a closure of a specific unit or classroom.
“The proposed changes are purely technical and will not have any impact on the children currently attending the school or ones that wish to attend in the future. The same level of support outlined within a child’s EHCP will be provided, and no funding is proposed to be withdrawn. Therapeutic support for children who require it will still be available.
“We cannot comment on the details of specific cases, but the council will contact Ivy’s mother to discuss her circumstances further. No decisions have been made and the council will review responses to the consultation carefully before making a decision. Residents have until Friday, October 25 to have their say via the council’s website.”
Philip is a Local Democracy Reporter covering Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow, with a focus on council decisions, housing, planning, licensing and community stories across west London.
