3 May 2016 weekly update

Dear Colleagues

Local Area SEND Inspection Framework April 2016

The new inspection framework for SEND in local areas has been published by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission. These inspections, which begin this month, will provide an independent external evaluation of how well a local area carries out its statutory duties in relation to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

The inspection will review how local areas support these children and young people to achieve the best possible educational and other outcomes, such as being able to live independently, secure meaningful employment and be well prepared for their adult lives.

The local area and the role of the local authority, health partners and other agencies

It is important to note that these inspections will evaluate how effectively the local area meets its responsibilities, and not just the local authority. The local area includes the local authority, NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), Public Health, NHS England for specialist services, Early Year’s settings, schools and Further Education providers.

During the inspection, inspectors will visit nurseries, schools, colleges and specialist services. These activities to gather evidence are critical to enhancing inspectors’ understanding of how all local providers and agencies work collaboratively together to improve the life chances of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. However, it is important to note that these providers are not under inspection but remain subject to separate institutional inspection arrangements. Therefore, inspectors are not there to evaluate the effectiveness or quality of the individual school or setting.

The starting point for inspection is the expectation that the local area should have a good understanding of how effective it is. Leaders for the local area should be able to accurately assess how well the local area meets its responsibilities, and should have an understanding of strengths and aspects that require further development. Inspectors will test out the accuracy of this understanding during the inspection as they make their evaluation.

All local areas will be inspected at least once during a five-year period. Selection of local areas to be inspected in a given year will endeavour to ensure a spread across the country and will, wherever possible, take account of the timing of other Ofsted and CQC inspection activity to avoid undue burden being placed on local areas.

Where evidence suggests that there are concerns about a local area, it may be inspected earlier than might have been the case otherwise. This may occur where Ofsted or CQC have significant concerns in relation to:

• the academic achievement of relevant children and young people over time, taking account of both attainment and progress
• rates of attendance and exclusion for relevant children and young people
• the destinations of relevant children and young people including data for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET)
• the outcomes of any inspections of local authorities and of educational establishments, and health services carried out by Ofsted or CQC
• complaints received about providers or services that are regulated or inspected by CQC or Ofsted
• local area performance in the completion of assessments and the making of Education, Health and Care plans within the statutory timescales
• rates of appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal (Health Education and Social Care Chamber)
• any other significant and relevant concerns that are brought to Ofsted’s or CQC’s attention.

The focus of inspection

The outcomes of the inspection will be reported in a letter and the judgements will be in narrative form. The letter will outline areas of strength and key priorities for improvement. It will be published on the Ofsted and CQC websites, usually within 33 days of the end of an inspection.

The inspection of the local area will cover and report on the following key aspects in arriving at a judgement about the effectiveness of the local area:

• the effectiveness of the local area in identifying children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities
• the effectiveness of the local area in assessing and meeting the needs of children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities
• the effectiveness of the local area in improving outcomes for children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities.

In reaching their judgements, inspectors, in line with the requirements of the Code of Practice, will pay particular attention to:

• the accuracy and rigour of the local area’s self-evaluation, the extent to which the local area knows its strengths and weaknesses, and what it needs to do further to improve the life chances of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities
• the extent to which the outcomes for children and young people are improving as a result of the collective actions and support of local agencies and bodies
• the efficiency of identification of special educational needs and disabilities
• the timeliness and usefulness of assessment
• how well local agencies and bodies plan and coordinate their work to assess need and provide necessary effective support
• how well the local area engages with children and young people, and their parents and carers, to inform decisions about the strategic commissioning of services
• how well the local area involves the individual child or young person, and their parents and carers, in the process of assessing their needs
• how well the local area communicates with children and young people, and their parents or carers, to ensure that these primary users are clear about the identification and assessment processes and the criteria used to make decisions
• the extent to which the local area gives due regard to its duties under the Equality Act 2010 to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

When Kent is inspected a number of schools and Early Years settings will be visited and we will be able to support that by sharing our self- assessment and by ensuring schools and settings have clear communication and guidance from us about the process.

For more information, please contact the Head of SEN, Julie.Ely@kent.gov.uk

Patrick Leeson, Corporate Director Education and Young People’s Services