Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) is best known for inspecting schools and colleges but they are now working with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to find out how well young people’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are being met in the area where they live.

Ofsted inspects schools and colleges and the CQC look at health services such as hospitals and care homes. In the SEND Local Area Inspections, they ensure between them that important services are meeting the needs of young people with SEND.

Following the SEND Reforms in September 2014, the government has asked Ofsted and the CQC to find out how well the new law is working and to find out what more needs to be done. To do this Ofsted inspectors will visit local areas to look at:

• How good the area is at finding out what special educational needs and disabilities young people have

• How good the area is at meeting young people’s special educational needs and disabilities

The SEN Inspections started in May 2016 and Buckinghamshire could be inspected at any time. For more information about the inspection arrangements, you can download the Ofsted presentation.

What are we doing to prepare for this?

The CQC and Ofsted have now published the framework and handbook for the inspection process.  We have a self-evaluation document that sets out how we feel we are meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND in Buckinghamshire. There are always areas we can improve on and we have set these out in an action plan. 

Ofsted framework

Ofsted handbook