Ofsted and CQC area SEND inspections
Norfolk received its first full Area SEND Inspection in March 2020. The weaknesses identified were:
- Delays in education, health and care plans (EHCPs)
- Provision for young people as they move into adulthood
- Co-production and communication with families
During a joint area revisit in November 2022, inspectors found the weaknesses had been addressed. They said leaders in Norfolk were determined and committed and responded to feedback and the county's parent carer groups were active and effective.
In a report published in February 2023, inspectors found the weaknesses had been addressed. Leaders in Norfolk were determined and committed and responded to feedback. They said the county's parent carer groups were active and effective.
Download the January 2023 revisit report from the Ofsted website.
Read more about what inspectors said in our news story.
On 1 January 2023 a new area SEND inspection framework and handbook was published. It includes the evaluation criteria that will be used to judge the effectiveness of the local area partnership's SEND arrangements and their impact on the experiences and outcomes of children and young people.
Following a full inspection there are three possible inspection outcomes:
- The local area partnership's arrangements typically lead to positive experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership is taking action where improvements are needed. The next full area SEND inspection will be within five years.
- The local area partnership's arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership must work jointly to make improvements. The next full area SEND inspection will take place within approximately three years.
- There are widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently. A monitoring inspection will be carried out within approximately 18 months. The next full area SEND inspection will take place within approximately three years.
Norfolk County Council and Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) are working to continue to improve services for children with special educational needs with their far-reaching, ambitious, well-planned and securely financed Local first inclusion improvement programme. This will sit alongside the new Norfolk Area SEND and Alternative Provision Strategy 2024-2029 which will become Norfolk's Local Improvement Plan, when it is published towards the end of 2023.