SEND transformation in Hounslow
In March 2022, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) made a routine inspection of our SEND service. They identified that there were five areas of weakness:
- poor quality of EHCPs
- poor communication and lack of co-production
- weak commissioning of therapies
- unacceptable waiting times
- weak quality assurance processes to bring about improvements
You can read more in the Ofsted report.
Our response
In response to this, we have been regularly monitored by the Department for Education (DfE) to review the progress made against the plan to improve the areas of weakness. This monitoring ended in December 2024.
Following the 2022 Ofsted SEND inspection, we were also invited by the DfE to take part in the national “Safety Valve” agreement programme.
Ofsted & CQC SEND & AP Area Inspection: October 2024
In October 2024, Ofsted and the CQC carried out an area inspection of Hounslow’s SEND and alternative provision (AP). This was a three-week inspection which included reviewing how we and our local NHS provider work together to support children and people with SEND.
Whilst the inspection rating has improved since 2022, there is still work to do to improve the experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. This will be captured in an updated improvement plan, which will be published in February 2024.
Read the Ofsted and CQC report (PDF)
How we are transforming SEND and alternative provision (AP) in Hounslow
The SEND and AP transformation programme was set up with the aim to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND living in Hounslow.
We are working to:
- support mainstream schools to meet the needs of a wider range of children and young people with SEND, with or without an EHCP
- ensure Hounslow has enough education provision across the borough to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND
- improve the borough’s provision of speech and language therapy (SaLT) and occupational therapy (OT) to support earlier identification and avoid unacceptable waiting times
- update the Local Offer website to become a place where families, children and young people and professionals can go to find help, advice and information about SEND
- ensure young people in Hounslow with SEND have enough post-16 provisions and pathways in place, along with the right information and guidance to support their development into adulthood
- develop an enhanced alternative provision (AP) offer that upholds early support, re-integration and new provisions, where young people receive quality services and support whilst ensuring value for money
- enhance our SEND service with stronger staffing and a governance structure that promotes efficient and effective work to support children and young people with SEND
- develop a clear, transparent and simplified funding system that enables schools to better support children and young people with SEND
