Jonathan Allen Alison Weaver Janine Walker Local Area Reviews What does this mean for schools? SENCO Network May 2016 Jonathan Allen Alison Weaver Janine Walker

Aims of session Summary of the LAR Framework and Handbook Overview of action taken to date Implications for schools

Who will be inspected? These inspections will evaluate how effectively the local area meets its responsibilities and not just the local authority. The local area includes: the local authority clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) public health NHS England for specialist services early year’s settings schools further education providers.

Focus of the inspection Inspectors will consider how effectively the local area identifies, meets the needs of and improves the outcomes of the wide range of different groups of children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities(SEND) as defined in the Children and Families Act and described in the SEND Code of Practice. The inspection will focus on the contribution of education, social care and health services to children and young people with SEND as defined in the Children and Families Act and described in the SEND Code of Practice.  

Inspection process The inspection team will be led by an HMI from Ofsted and will include a Children’s Services Inspector from the CQC, and an Ofsted Inspector (OI) usually recruited from a local authority but without connection to the local area being inspected. The Local Area will receive 5 days notice The inspections will all take place during term time Regular meetings will take place throughout the inspection between the inspectors and key Local Area representatives

Inspection process The team will: Examine a range of information provided by the Local Area before and during the visit, including any self-evaluation Meet with key officers from education, health and social care Meet with a range of representatives from strategic and operational groups Arrange visits to a range of providers Meet with parents/carers and children and young people Review a selection of children and young people’s records – to evaluate effectiveness of multi-agency support

Pre-inspection evidence Educational outcomes Attendance and exclusion information Data relating to the identification of SEN at SEN Support/EHCP Destinations data including NEET figures Performance towards meeting expected timescales for statutory assessment Inspection reports for the local area, its services and providers The published local offer The local authority short break statement Schools’ and nurseries’ published special educational needs information reports The joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) The joint health and well-being strategy SEND Tribunal information Complaints to Ofsted and CQC Any relevant serious case reviews and their outcomes Performance information published by the DfE and DoH commissioning and performance data on delivery range of health programmes 0−25 services for CAMHS), speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy etc

Which services will inspectors visit? Inspectors will visit: nurseries, schools, colleges and specialist services, to gather evidence of how all local providers and agencies work collaboratively together to improve the life chances of children and young people with SEND. specialist support and therapies, such as clinical treatments and delivery of medications, speech and language therapy, assistive technology, personal care, CAMHS, occupational therapy, habilitation training, physiotherapy, a range of nursing support, specialist equipment, wheelchairs and continence supplies and also emergency provision. social care services, including childcare, leisure activities, transition support between children and adult services and support for young people in living independently and participating fully in society.

Vulnerable Groups Inspectors will pay particular attention to gathering evidence about how needs of vulnerable groups are met: Children looked after care leavers children and young people who have SEND and social care needs, including those who have a child in need or a child protection plan children and young people educated out of area children and young people who have SEND who are educated at home (EHE) children and young people in alternative provision children and young people who have SEND who are in hospital children of service personnel children and young people in youth custody or secure accommodation.

Key judgements The inspection will report on the following: the effectiveness of the local area in identifying children and young people who have SEND the effectiveness of the local area in assessing and meeting the needs of children and young people who have SEND the effectiveness of the local area in improving outcomes for children and young people who have SEND.

Evidence to support judgements The inspectors will evaluate: the accuracy and rigour of the local area’s self-evaluation to what extent the outcomes for children and young people are improving as a result of the collective actions and support of local agencies and bodies the efficiency of identification of SEND the timeliness and usefulness of assessment how well local agencies and bodies plan and coordinate their work to assess need and provide necessary effective support how well the local area engages with children and young people, and their parents and carers, to inform decisions about the strategic commissioning of services (joint strategic needs assessment) how well the local area involves the individual child or young person and their parents and carers, in the process of assessing their needs how well the local area communicates with children and young people, and their parents or carers, to ensure they are clear about the identification and assessment processes and the criteria used to make decisions the extent to which the local area gives due regard to its duties under the Equality Act 2010 to children and young people with SEND

Feedback following the inspection Verbal feedback will be provided to the senior managers within the Local Area A written report will be published with a summary of findings, including: Effectiveness re identification, assessment, provision and improving outcomes Strengths Areas for development Safeguarding concerns Quality and accuracy of self evaluation Where the Local Area provision is deemed ineffective, a written statement of action will be required

Inspection preparation Multi-agency Reform Board in place Self evaluation completed Collation of data and evidence Briefings to providers/partners Links with regional partners Regional and internal peer review process

What does this mean for schools? A total of 12 schools and settings will be visited – mainstream and special, all phases Information gathered from schools will include Identification – school census data Contribution to local offer (information report) Provision management processes – how do schools identify/assess/make additional provision/monitor and review provision Evidence of effective multi-agency support Discussions with staff Discussions with children and families Sample files There will be no observations of lessons/service delivery

Further information The Local Area Review and Framework and Handbook can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-area-send-inspection-framework https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-area-send-inspection-guidance-for-inspectors