Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) have reported that Bexley’s local area partnership has taken “effective action” to make improvements in all the services and support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) that were identified during our Local Area SEND Inspection in December 2023.
A monitoring inspection to assess progress took place between 19 January and 4 February 2026 with Inspectors physically on site between 2 and 4 February 2026.
Ofsted and CQC found that the local area partnership has taken effective action in all three areas that were previously identified as priorities. Cabinet Member for Education & Corporate Services, Cllr Caroline Newton said:
I'm really pleased that the inspectors have recognised the extremely hard work that we have put in to make these improvements. Officers and partners have been able to more than deliver on our Priority Action Plan.
The changes have been made to a high standard, often using innovative new ways of working, impressing the Inspectors with the changes that we have put in place. This has been underpinned by clear political support and engagement by all members throughout the improvement journey.
At the heart of all this hard work are our children and young people. We never forget that we ultimately work for them and any improvements we make can only lead to a better outcome for them.”
Leader of the Council, Cllr David Leaf said:
I’d like to extend my thanks to all those involved in the improvement work. Their commitment and input have helped us to raise standards and to pioneer new initiatives that will benefit children, young people and families across the borough.”
During their visit inspectors spoke with local area leaders, young people, parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and education, health and social care professionals, representatives of the parent carer forum (PCF), the Department for Education (DfE) and regional NHS England. They reviewed the performance of the local area partnership in addressing the priority actions identified at the initial inspection, including the priority action plan, self-evaluation and a range of evidence.
The inspectors noted that joint working across services to support children and young people as they prepare for adulthood had been strengthened and that Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) pathways had been expanded, with schools and colleges now offering more vocational and community-based opportunities. Their inspection also found that children and families now have a stronger voice, with young people able to join review meetings to share their views and aspirations for the future.
Inspectors recognised that the speed and quality of Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP) had improved. They also mentioned the new SEND Hub digital tool that brings schools, caseworkers and advisory services together to draft and update plans quickly and effectively.
Speech and language commissioning has also improved, according to inspectors, with therapists working more regularly in schools building relationships with staff and teachers, helping them to understand children’s needs earlier with new tools in place to identify the need for specialist therapy.
The timeliness and quality of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) have improved overall, with swifter decision making and co-ordination of advice.
Inspectors confirmed that partnership leaders now have effective oversight of the progress and impact of initiatives designed to improve the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND. The strengthened partnership structure brings together health, social care, education and parents effectively enabling a move towards more effective collaborative working. The partnership has stable foundations for improvement, and the systems to monitor and measure the impacts.
Andrew Bland, Chief Executive Officer of NHS South East London and NHS South West London ICBs, said:
It’s been incredibly encouraging to see the positive outcomes of the priority action plan now coming to fruition. This progress reflects the strength of our partnership working and our shared commitment to providing consistent, dedicated support for children, young people, and their families when accessing SEND services.
We’re delighted that both the CQC and Ofsted have recognised the hard work and collaboration behind these improvements, and we remain committed to providing this level of care for families across Bexley.”
The report will be published on the Ofsted site on 11 May in line with their pre-election guidelines. The Department for Education have agreed the Council can publish the outcome and corresponding report.
Cllr Newton has produced a short video on the SEND Inspection.