7 November 2025 weekly update

Dear Colleagues,

Attendance 

The most recently released DfE year to date attendance figures generated by the daily return by schools show attendance in Kent schools is currently above national levels:

• National attendance (as of 20 October 2025) - 94.1%
• Kent attendance (as of 24 October 2025) - 94.2%

Colleagues, we have exceeded the national average! This is a testament to the hard work and commitment of school staff working in partnership with the KPAS services and supported by other services like Early Help and Family Hubs, all sharing one common aim. A huge thank you to all involved in this critical work which means more pupils will benefit from the rich offer in the schools across Kent.

Schools budget consultation

Whilst we are waiting on Central Government to announce the school funding for 2026-27 we have launched the annual schools budget consultation to gather views on the core principles of setting the primary and secondary school budgets for 2026-27. I appreciate the questions can feel similar to previous years but its important we gather your latest views to inform decisions and share your responses with both the Schools Funding Forum (your representative body for school funding matters) and the Department of Education. Due to continual delays in funding announcements we are extending the consultation deadline to Friday 21 November. I encourage you to respond.

Inspection 

Today is the last day of the Inspection of Local Authority Children's Services (ILACS). It has been a whirlwind week including daily KIT meetings with the inspection team which has provided me with a unique insight into the complexity and challenge of supporting children and families in a county the size of Kent. Schools and other education providers are of course a key service and I was delighted at the enthusiastic response from school colleagues whose schools were selected by the education inspector to contribute evidence to the process. There is such a breadth of great, effective, child-centred work going on in Kent schools to support vulnerable children and it was good to have the opportunity to showcase that. Whilst listening to staff and the feedback in the KIT meetings it did make me think of Josh McAllister's Built on Love strategy

It has been such a privilege to hear about the work which has reflected so much more than a professional commitment to public service.

We are preparing for the next Youth Justice inspection and as we make steps to better integrate education, SEN and children's social care I am pleased that Sophie Dann, AD SEN Quality Assurance and Simon Smith, Head of KPAS are on the YJ Board supporting the improvement journey and preparation for inspection.

Planning for the next SEND area inspection is well underway and this week's Inclusion Champions meeting included a briefing and discussion about the inspection framework and expectations of schools. We will be disseminating the information over the coming months and discussing our Self Evaluation with you to ensure it accurately reflects the strengths and areas for development across the Kent area.

Headteacher briefings 

Thank you to those that have attended the first two briefings at Seasalter and Gravesend and to colleagues from Ofsted who discussed the new inspection framework. Dame Christine Lenehan joined us on Wednesday to share some of the background to the SEND White Paper now due for publication in the spring. Dame Christine is the strategic advisor on special needs and disability to the SEND inclusion in education expert group as well as providing advice and expertise to the Secretary of State for Education and the Minister of State for School Standards on aspects of the ongoing SEND reform programme. It was really reassuring to hear about all of the work going on at a policy level to deliver an integrated step change in the way we work which is strongly informed by experienced practitioners and a big thank you to Dame Christine for travelling to join us. She will also be contributing to the South Kent meeting on Wednesday 12 November through a Teams link (if the technology works!).

It's not too late to join a headteacher briefing with the final two taking place on:

• West Kent headteacher briefing - Monday 10 November 2025 from 9am to 12noon at Mercure Great Danes, Hollingbourne, Maidstone, ME17 1RE.
• South Kent headteacher briefing - 12 November 2025 from 1pm to 4pm at Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Waterbrook Avenue, Sevington, Ashford, TN24 0LH.

Please register for your place

Lunchtime leadership lounge - Tuesday 25 November 2025

A member of the SEND inclusion in education expert group Mark Vickers OBE, Chief Executive of the Olive Academies MAT will be my next guest on the Lunchtime Leadership Lounge on Tuesday 25 November from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. You can register using the link below.

Register for the lunchtime leadership lounge

And finally...

The long awaited Curriculum and Assessment Review led by Professor Becky Francis CBE, has finally been published making 10 recommendations for change. As with the SEND reforms, this is a practitioner led review and provides a pathway to build on what is working well, as well as addressing concerns raised by those of you working in a range of education settings. We are looking forward to the government's response to this well considered, evidence based report to better meet the aspirations and needs of the children and young people we serve.

With best wishes

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