Ofsted/CQC: SEND Area Partnership Inspection
Have your say in the Ofsted/CQC SEND Inspection
Parents and carers, your insights are invaluable! Please complete the confidential survey provided by the inspectors and share your experiences.
For any accessibility issues, please contact jodie.newson@birmingham.gov.uk. We can provide paper versions of the survey; however, note that paper copies of the survey will need to be returned by 1pm on 16th June.
SEND Local Area Partnership Inspection Now Underway in Birmingham!
The SEND Local Area Partnership Inspection in Birmingham is a significant event for the community. Here’s a detailed overview of what this inspection entails.
What is a SEND Local Area Inspection?
A SEND Local Area Inspection evaluates how well statutory services (Education, Health, and Care) support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Birmingham. Inspectors from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission CQC conduct these inspections every few years to assess the effectiveness of these services.
Why is the Inspection Important?
The inspection helps identify what is working well and what needs improvement. Inspectors will talk to children and families about their experiences, as well as practitioners and managers. They will review data on children’s progress and visit various educational and care settings. This comprehensive review ensures that local teams can focus on making the most significant impact on supporting children and young people with SEND.
What Does it Involve?
- Family Stories: A significant part of the inspection involves hearing real stories from local families. Inspectors will randomly select a small sample of children with SEND to review the support they have received. Families will be contacted by someone familiar, like a teacher, and participation is voluntary. Inspectors will meet with families and practitioners to discuss their experiences, either face-to-face, over the phone, or via video call.
- Interviews: Inspectors talk with children and families, practitioners and managers about their experiences.
- Data Review: Inspectors look at data on children’s progress.
- Site Visits: They visit educational and care settings.
How Can Families Participate?
Parents and carers are invited to complete a survey provided by the inspectors. This survey will run from Monday 9th to 9 am on Tuesday 17th June and is completely confidential. Even if your child is not selected for the sample review, you can still share your experiences through this survey.
For any issues with accessibility, please contact jodie.newson@birmingham.gov.uk. We can provide paper versions of the survey; however, note that paper copies of the survey will need to be returned by 1pm on 16th June.
After the Inspection
After the inspection, the findings will be discussed with local leaders, highlighting what is working well and what needs improvement. An overall grading and a report will be published on the Ofsted and CQC websites. For more detailed information, you can visit the Area SEND inspections: framework and handbook on the Government Department for Education website.