17 October 2025 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

Key meetings attended 

The SEND Transformation Board took place this week, this is an internal meeting focused on the SEND Safety Valve agreement. Hot on the heels of the last DfE and CQC assessment event was the annual Ofsted, CQC and local area partnership SEND engagement meeting where we discussed our current Self Evaluation with senior representatives form both organisations.

School visit

I was delighted to have the opportunity to spend some time with the team at Dover Christchurch Academy, part of the Turner Schools Trust on Wednesday.

The school is achieving above the national average on attendance and has developed it's SRP Aspen 2 so that young people with a very high level of complex needs can benefit from a personalised curriculum as well as having opportunities to integrate into mainstream activities with their peers. It's really impressive and inspirational. A very big thank you to Dean Jones, Chief Strategy Officer, Ali Monkley, Cross Trust Director of SEND, and  Manj Nijjer, Principal, for their time and to Dean and Ali for their work as Chairs of Communities of Schools.

SEND Parent newsletter 

The SEND parent newsletter includes a wealth of information for staff as well as parents. If you think it would be of interest to your parents and carers please do forward on.

Professor Martin P Griffiths CBE in the Lunchtime Leadership Lounge on Monday 27 October at 1:05pm

This is your final opportunity to book into the first Lunchtime Leadership Lounge to hear Professor Griffiths talk about his work as a trauma surgeon in London and his national work on youth violence reduction. Martin recently returned from a month working in a field hospital 20 miles outside of Gaza city for the NGO UK Med

Please register for the Lunchtime Leadership Lounge

I am also delighted to let you know that we have confirmed our second Lunchtime Leadership Lounge for Tuesday 25 November when Mark Vickers MBE, Chief Executive of Olive Trust and Ofsted Inclusion Adviser, will be sharing his reflections on leadership. More information and the link to register will be circulated after half term.

Headteacher briefings 

Ofsted will be leading the next round of Headteacher briefings but we are very fortunate to also have Dame Christine Lenehan DBE who will join two of the meetings on Wednesday 5 (North) and Wednesday 12 (South) November.

Please register for your place.

And finally...

I spent a delightful Saturday afternoon with my grandson at Chatham Central Hall watching Guys and Dolls. The male lead playing Nathan Detroit was none other than our very own Lee Round, Area Schools Organisation Officer in the South of the County. All I can say is, A Star Is Born! Even my 13 years old grandson enjoyed the performance as well as the ice cream and said the singing was great. Congratulations Lee - we are already looking forward to the panto!

Being at the Central Hall brought back lots of memories as the last time I was there was to see David Essex with my mate Sue Watkins. I saw him again about 30 years later at Catford theatre where I got the last ticket and last year, he was at the London Palladium, as brilliant as ever he was - Rock On David !

Have a great half term break all

Christine McInnes
Interim Corporate Director, Children, Young People and Education