Ofsted commits to improving area SEND inspections

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have published the outcome of a review of the way local area services for children and young people with SEND are inspected.

The aim of the review was to identify changes that could be made to the current inspection framework to help drive improvements in the SEND system, without diluting accountability.

Alongside the review, Ofsted also published a report summarising findings from the first two years of inspections under the current framework. This includes common challenges such as the timeliness and/or quality of education, health and care (EHC) plans.

Ofsted heard some positive feedback about the current inspection framework, with many across the sector finding it a more supportive process than the previous framework. The focus on the experiences and views of young people and their families was highlighted as a particularly positive change.

However, the review also found there was a strong desire from children, young people, families and representative groups to have more opportunities to share their experiences with inspectors. Some local areas also highlighted that inspections can be resource-intensive, which can have an impact on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.

There was positive feedback from children, young people and their families about the way inspectors engage with them during inspections, with many saying they felt comfortable openly sharing their thoughts. Meanwhile, feedback both internally and from the sector highlighted the importance of continuing to develop inspectors’ expertise.

As a result of the review, Ofsted and CQC have committed to a series of improvements to the way area SEND inspections are carried out. This includes ensuring that inspectors have sufficient time on inspections and providing more opportunities for young people and their families to engage with inspectors during full inspections.

Another improvement is to simplify the data inspectors ask for at the start of the inspection and make engagement meetings more supportive and adjusting the frequency of these meetings.

Other changes that have been committed to include specifying more clearly which member of the partnership should take forward areas for improvement, exploring how inspection reports can be made more accessible, and sharing a summary of survey findings with local area partnerships and family representative groups to support strategic planning.

Other improvements include updating and increasing the frequency of inspectors’ training, exploring the creation of a national pool of Ofsted education inspectors to increase the consistency and expertise of inspection teams, and to work with the Ofsted Academy to continue recruiting inspectors with relevant experience in SEND and alternative provision.

In the longer term, Ofsted and CQC will also consider options for further developing the area SEND framework, including exploring the introduction of an inspection report card after the first cycle of inspections ends in December 2027.