Ofsted has found only one local education authority area where special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision was delivering “typically positive” experiences and outcomes during its area inspections in 2025, new data shows.
Figures show that 18 were carried out in the spring and summer terms of 2024-25 by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The two organisations assess SEND provision, including in schools, across local area partnerships and give each area one of three inspection ratings.
In the summer term no local education authority area was given the top SEND area rating, five areas were found to be delivering inconsistent experiences and three were found to have systemic failings in their provision of SEND support.
In the spring term one area was found to be typically delivering positive outcomes, five were found to be delivering inconsistent experiences and another four were found to have systemic failings.
The London borough of Brent was the only area inspected that was delivering “typically positive” experiences and outcomes in England in either the spring or summer terms.
Ofsted SEND area inspections
Ofsted and the CQC inspect education, health and care services for children with SEND in a local area, and deliver reports on how effective they are. Inspections rate local areas with one of three grades:
- “SEND arrangements typically lead to positive experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND.”
- “SEND arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND.”
- “There are widespread and/or systemic failings leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND.”
Since the start of 2023, Ofsted and the CQC have carried out inspections in 72 areas. Of the 72 localities, 50 per cent were found to have inconsistent experiences or outcomes and 29 per cent were found to be systemically failing.
Only 15 areas had SEND arrangements that typically led to positive outcomes.
Last year Vlog analysis also revealed that nearly one in five areas has not had a SEND area inspection for five years or more.
Vlog also revealed that common findings in areas judged to have systemic failings included problems with education, health and care plans (EHCPs), pupils’ needs not being met in schools and other settings, long waits to access support services and pressure on special-school places.
Councils have called for SEND area inspections to be stopped until the government’s wider SEND reforms have been carried out.
The government was expected to publish its plans to reform the SEND support system in its Schools White Paper this autumn, but this policy document has now been delayed until 2026.
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