Ofsted is set to scrutinise how alternative provision is used by local authorities, as part of a proposed new inspection framework.
The schools inspectorate and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have launched a consultation on a proposed new approach to area special educational needs and disability (SEND) inspections.
As part of its proposals, Ofsted said it was concerned that alternative provision “may sometimes be used inappropriately to supplement the SEND system”; for example, as a temporary placement while children wait for an education, health and care plan assessment or a place in a special school.
It added: “We therefore want to increase our scrutiny of how local authorities use, commission and oversee alternative provision.”
The new joint framework contains nine proposals and the consultation on these, which can be found on the government website, runs for three months until 11 September.
Tes revealed back in April that there was set to be a gap of least eight months without any new area-wide inspections of services for children with SEND taking place because a new framework was still being worked on.
The government first asked both organisations to develop new SEND inspection plans more than three and half years ago, but the inspectorate could not give Tes an exact date for implementation earlier this year.
Ofsted to focus on alternative provision in area SEND inspections
Ofsted has said the new framework will introduce an ongoing cycle of inspections and three distinct inspection outcomes.
Under the third outcome, local partnerships with widespread or systemic failings will have to submit a priority action plan (area SEND) to Ofsted and the CQC. This must set out how they intend to address the areas for priority action and must be published.
Ofsted will also introduce “monitoring inspections”, so that when an inspection finds widespread and/or systemic failings and the local area partnership is required to submit a plan to address the areas for priority action, the regulator will carry out an inspection to assess progress at around 18 months.
The inspectorate said that the proposals, which it plans to implement from early next year, would “broaden” the focus of inspection to not only look at whether local area partnerships are identifying and meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND but also assess the impact on their lives and outcomes.
Ofsted chief Amanda Spielman said that over the past two years, the pandemic had been particularly hard for the “most vulnerable in society”.
“In that time Ofsted has continued to engage closely with the SEND sector, including bodies representing children and young people with SEND and their parents and carers. That has allowed us to develop and refine the proposals for a new framework,” she added.
“I welcome responses from the sector, whether that be parents, carers or children and young people themselves, to help us shape our plans further. Working together, we can ensure that every child gets the best start in life, whatever their background or needs.”
In its annual report, published last year, Ofsted called for a better understanding of why many children who go to alternative provisions do not return to mainstream education.
That report called for alternative provision to be reformed to remove loopholes that Ofsed claims allow much of the sector to avoid regulation and oversight.
