Local Area SEND Inspection
In May 2016, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) began a new type of joint inspection, to hold local areas to account and champion the rights of children and young people. Under the local area Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND) inspection framework, inspectors review how local areas meet their responsibilities to children and young people (from birth to age 25) who have SEND.
Under the Children and Families Act 2014, the government placed new duties on the local health, social and education services with the updated Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
Warwickshire's local area SEND inspection took place on 12 - 16 July 2021. During the week the Ofsted and CQC inspectors spoke with parents, carers, children and young people and met with managers and leaders from the area’s education, health and social care services to review the support provided and how well the local area meets its responsibilities. They looked for evidence of how children and young people with SEND are identified; how their needs are assessed and met; and how they are supported to move on to their next stage of education, the world of work and preparation for adulthood.
Over 30 focus groups and meetings were held with a wide range of leaders, colleagues, partners, children and young people and parents/carers. The inspectors also visited nine settings including primary and secondary schools, special schools, further educations colleges and early years settings. Many thanks to all those involved in the inspection week.
A report outlining the findings from the inspection was published in September 2021 on Ofsted and Warwickshire County Council websites.