30 September 2022 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

A big thank you to all of you that contributed to this week’s SEND Care Quality Commission and Ofsted area inspection revisit. Apart from the 60 schools represented in the SENCO and headteacher focus groups, I also took the opportunity to set up meetings with education system leaders to talk about their contributions to the SEND inclusion priorities and other headteachers to talk through case-study based examples. It was really pleasing to be able to showcase some of the great work which is going on in the education sector in Kent. The team also met with groups of parents and carers and a number of young people. The inspection team asked us to pass on their thanks to all involved, including to staff who have worked really hard to prepare and ensure the inspection ran like clockwork.

Officers are receiving correspondence about the cost of energy bills and the impact on school budgets. We are continuing to brief our Cabinet Members about the implications for schools and settings and to liaise with Laser Energy.

Spring term 2022 feels like a very long time away, but I am sure you will remember the challenges experienced by the council in providing SEND home to school transport for some children and families. Transport was being provided for circa 4,700 pupils and unfortunately there was a serious issue which impacted on circa 8% of the provision, regrettably causing considerable distress to children and families. As a consequence the audit team undertook a lessons-learned review, published this week. Officers have worked hard to streamline administrative process and create both additional internal capacity and transport capacity to meet growing demand and happily the beginning of this academic year went well, which was acknowledged by PACT. CYPE will continue to work with colleagues across the council to embed improvements.

Following the appointment of the new Prime Minister, we welcome the Rt Honourable Kit Malthouse MP as Secretary of State for Education and a new ministerial team including Kelly Tolhurst MP as Minister for Schools and Childhood, Jonathan Gullis MP as Minister for School Standards, and Andrea Jenkyns MP as Minister for Skills. Good to see Baroness Barran MBE in the team as Minister for the School and College system.

With best wishes

Christine McInnes
Director of Education