“Effective action” taken to improve Oxfordshire’s SEND provision
19/11/2025
A previous visit noted “widespread systemic failings”
“Effective action” has been taken to make improvements in services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Oxfordshire.
That’s according to Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission following a recent monitoring inspection.
In July 2023 they found “widespread systemic failings” during a previous visit.
Local SEND services are provided by Oxfordshire’s Local Area Partnership, comprising Oxfordshire County Council and a number of NHS bodies.
A monitoring inspection to assess progress in improving the service began on 15 September.
The local area partnership were found to have taken effective action in all five areas that were previously identified as priorities. This included strengthening systems, governance and communication to better support children and young people with SEND.
Children’s views were found to be gathered more effectively and there’s now Increased joint working across education, health and social care, which is beginning to enhance children’s experiences and the planning of their support.
The timeliness and quality of education, health and care plans has improved, alongside clearer oversight to ensure SEND learners access safe, suitable and quality-assured provision.
Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “We have been working extremely hard across the local area partnership to make necessary improvements following the 2023 inspection. Ofsted and the CQC’s latest report makes it clear that real progress is now being made and I praise our dedicated teams for their tireless efforts over many months.
“However, we will never allow ourselves to be complacent. The inspectors’ report is a significant milestone, providing valuable feedback and recommendations to ensure going forward there will be consistency across every aspect of SEND provision.
“We will continue to listen and involve families on this important journey of improvement for children and young people.”
Inspectors made a number of recommendations, encouraging the local area partnership to continue to expand and strengthen opportunities for children, young people and families to share their views and influence decisions, particularly for those whose voices are less often heard.
The report recognised leaders know they have more work to do to build confidence with families, ensuring their opinions, and those of their children, are integral to future improvements.
It also highlighted that work must continue to address inconsistencies in communication between education and health services to provide a truly coordinated approach for all children and young people with SEND.
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
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