SEND inspections find services in just one in four areas usually lead to ‘positive’ outcomes for disabled children

Only one in four inspections of local services for disabled children in England last year concluded that they usually lead to “positive experiences and outcomes” for those young people, the education regulator has announced.

The findings from Ofsted showed that 28 inspections of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services in local areas were carried out in 2024, but only seven led to a positive report.

Six of the inspections – which do not involve inspections of schools – concluded that there were “widespread and/or systemic failings” in local services which led to “significant concerns”, while the other 15 concluded that there were “inconsistent experiences and outcomes” for children and young people with SEND.

The inspections are carried out jointly by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission, a process which began in January 2023, with every area supposed to be inspected at least once every five years.

Only about a third of 153 local areas have been inspected so far.

Dr Edmore Masendeke (pictured), policy and research lead for The Alliance for Inclusive Education, said the figures were “not surprising” and reflected the continuing segregation and exclusion of disabled children and young people within the education system.

He said: “What ALLFIE sees is a growing investment in segregation and deliberate dismantling of any progress made towards inclusive education.”

He said this was happening in areas such as Newham, in east London, where Sir Stephen Timms, the minister for social security and disability, is MP for part of the constituency.

In January 2024, there were 576,000 children and young people aged up to 25 with an EHC plan, and another 1.2 million pupils receiving SEN support in school.

The worst-performing area since the inspections began in January 2023 is the East Midlands, where four areas were found to have “widespread/systemic failings” and just one was found to be “typically positive”.

The North West has also performed poorly so far, with four failing areas, three inconsistent, and one positive.

The best was North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, with four positive, five inconsistent and none found to be failing; London is not far behind, with three positive, six inconsistent, and just one failing.

Masendeke said: “For years, ALLFIE has repeatedly warned that disabled children and young people are being harmed by all forms and practices of segregated education, which continue across all areas of learning but does not lead to inclusive education experiences, where all students are taught together in the same classroom and settings alongside their peers.”

He added: “ALLFIE is also deeply concerned that just a third of local areas have been inspected so far.

“How many more disabled children and young people are enduring the same poor educational experiences, or worse?”

He said the findings came at a time when there were serious threats to the legal protections provided by education, health and care plans.

And he said there appeared to be a “wider move by government to disrupt inclusive education by reducing disability provision and support, redirecting funding from mainstream settings to expand segregated provisions, including building more units within mainstream schools and increasing the number of segregated schools”.

An Ofsted spokesperson said: “These statistics highlight that the outcomes and experiences of too many children with SEND are not as positive as they should be.

“We recognise the SEND system is under significant pressure; however, it is vital that improvements are made so children get the support they need.”

The inspections evaluate arrangements for all children and young people with SEND aged up to 25, including those who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan and those who receive special educational needs (SEN) support.

They examine the education, social care and health services provided to disabled children and young people in the local area, including the structure of the local education system, school attendance figures, school transport, employment data for those who have left education, provision of short breaks, transition into adult social care, and performance data on health services.

As part of the inspections, they visit schools and other settings and services, and gather the views of parents and carers, children and young people.

CQC had not commented by noon today (Thursday).

The Department for Education had also not commented by noon today.

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