1. 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

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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Further information
The Local Area Review and Framework and Handbook can be found at: