25 September 2026 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

You will be aware that the Kent SEND system was inspected by Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC), a process that commenced on 22 June 2026, with the inspection team on site in Kent between 6 and 10 July 2026. Thank you to all of you that contributed evidence for the inspection.

The inspection report is published on the Ofsted website

The 2019 inspection and follow up revisit in 2022, identified that the Kent system was systemically failing children and families and as a consequence Kent was issued with an Improvement Notice by the then Minister, Janet Daby.

Within KCC, SEND joined the Education Division on 1 April 2023, so education officers in that division became formally accountable for the quality of SEND provision. In the type of busy jobs that we all do and with our shared commitment to continuous improvement, we need to make a deliberate effort to reflect back and remember what things were like historically. For me, there were two particular points in the 2022 letter that stood out and became key drivers in the approach we then took on the SEND improvement journey and these points were - the SEND system was a system in chaos and use was not being made of expertise in the system.

Kent has circa a third of a million children and young people, with over a quarter of a million in our education system. In 2022, we were approaching 20,000 children and a young people with an EHCP. You will know the importance of robust systems at a setting and school level and can imagine how that need is amplified with the numbers the LA is managing, so that aspect of the work had to be prioritised - for those of you who have been involved in significant school improvement, you will understand that building the plane while you are flying it is no mean feat!

I am committed to professional partnerships and the important role of the LA as convener. Education providers hold different expertise to LA officers - bringing that expertise together and the creative, professional conflict it can generate, is what adds value and acts an improvement accelerator. So, the comment from education sector leaders about the LA needing to use existing expertise was absolutely pushing at an open door with me.

I will not rehearse all the developments that have taken place since then but one that I think is most notable is the way that so many of you have courageously stepped into the system leadership space to 'unleash the sector' in many ways but particularly through the Inclusion Champions, the Chairs of the Community of Schools and the post-16 Pathways for All. We are yet to see the full impact of cultural change and work, which will only become apparent over a longer period of time.

The inspection has three gradings:

• Positive experiences and outcomes for children and young people
• Inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people
• Widespread and systemic failings.

In our preparation for inspection, the conclusion of our Self Evaluation was that whilst there are now a number of strengths, children and young people have inconsistent experiences and outcomes and that was confirmed by the judgement of the inspection team. During the inspection process, we were clear that, whilst the evidence demonstrates significant progress has been made, there is still a considerable way to go especially with the government’s SEND policy reforms now coming on-stream. We welcome the report’s clarity on where we need to do more which include strengthening our use of data, monitoring and quality assurance; improving EHC plan processes focusing on annual reviews; strengthening communication and co-production; addressing delays and gaps in provision; improving preparation for adulthood focusing on children with SEN support; greater oversight over children and young people on parttime table and attending alternative provision; and reducing geographical variation so that children, young people and families receive a more equitable offer wherever they live in Kent.

With regard to strengths, inspectors highlighted progress in several areas including improvements in the quality and completion of newer Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), more inclusive support in schools, better joined-up working between services, and earlier help for some children and young people. They also found that stronger partnership working, a growing focus on support based on need rather than diagnosis, and improved strategic leadership are helping to address many of the historic weaknesses identified in previous inspections.

When the LA SEND team stepped forward to lead the improvement programme, many believed the task was not possible and it was described to me ‘like nailing jelly to the wall’. It has very much been a team effort but there are a few individual leaders in the LA I want to pick out for a special thank you - Craig Chapman, Alice Gleave, Sophie Dann, Siobhan Price, Karen Stone, Christy Holden, Sam Sheppard, David Adams and Lauryn Alleyne-Coore, as well as Elise McQueen who has since moved onto another LA, Sue Gibbons and Abigale Kitt from the ICB and Christiana Parsons and other colleagues from PACT.

There are so many of you in the education sector that have worked tirelessly with us on improvement - working with you, we have together proved the doubters wrong and whilst we are not yet meeting our shared ambitions, we have managed to make a quantum leap in the right direction so very well done and a huge thank you. Kent is now on a robust platform for moving forward on the SEND Reforms.

I also want to take this opportunity to recognise the work of the inspection team who managed to consider vast amounts of evidence (and we didn't give them everything!) and I think did a very good job of reflecting the strengths and areas for development.

In other news, it has been a busy week for committee and board meetings

• Children and Young People's Cabinet Committee
• County Council
• Schools Funding Forum
• Kent Safeguarding Partnership Executive meeting
• SEND Transformation Board.

Also, this week I had the privilege of meeting and talking with the service that works with Kent Care Leavers, helping to support these young people navigate their way to adulthood. They do a really challenging job and we talked about how they can be better supported in their work.

With all best wishes

Christine McInnes
Corporate Director Children’s Services