Launching her second annual report in London, Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman said that provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was ‘too disjointed and inconsistent’.
Children with autism are waiting up to two years to be diagnosed, and the quality of Education Health and Care (EHC) plans was still too variable and weak, she said.
Between 2010 and 2017 the number of children with a plan designating their needs, but who received no provision, had increased fivefold.
It had been above 4,000 in 2017, but has now been reduced to 2,060.
Ms Spielman told the audience of education and social care professionals, local authority representatives and others, ‘Identification of SEND is often inaccurate or late, and the gap in outcomes for children with SEND is widening, which in turn places even greater strain on services.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
