Kirklees Council has acknowledged that work still needs to be done when it comes to improving services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and says it aims to “make the biggest possible difference” for children and their families.
The council has provided more details about local SEND services since the outcome of a joint inspection between Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was shared. The two agencies visited Kirklees from 16 June until 20 June ranking the borough’s SEND services, which are provided across the NHS, local authority and other partners, as “inconsistent”.
Inspectors could choose one of three conclusions about local area SEND arrangements – “positive”; “inconsistent”; or “widespread failings”. The council has pointed out that nationally, over half of the SEND inspections carried out in recent years have received an ‘inconsistent’ judgment, like in Kirklees.
Some parents of children and young people with SEND have shared their experiences following the publication of the joint report, voicing anger and frustration. Councillor Habiban Zaman (Community Alliance, Batley East), who was briefly a portfolio holder for Children’s Services at the council, said that “families are being failed” by the service.
Image: Kirklees Council.
Since then, Cllr Jane Rylah, Kirklees Council Cabinet member for Education, has said: “We will always acknowledge that some parts of SEND provision need further development. This is a national issue, as well as in Kirklees.
“Before the inspection, our own assessment had identified those areas, and we were addressing them. We also know that not all families currently experience the kind of support we aim to provide.
“It is a priority for the council, and for the wider SEND partnership, to ensure all children and young people can access the best possible standards and achieve the best possible outcomes in life. We have a huge number of projects which are designed to transform SEND support.
“Despite the challenges faced by all parts of the country, we want Kirklees to be a national leader in high-quality SEND services.
“The council is making multi-million-pound investments to rebuild, relocate and expand two special schools – Woodley School and College, which is for pupils with complex autism, and Joseph Norton Academy, which is for pupils with Social Emotional and Mental Health needs.
“This will bring a significant rise in the number of places at both schools and they will feature state-of-the-art facilities, enhancing local education for many years to come. These two projects mean more children with SEND will be educated locally, and we have ensured children and families were involved in the design of both schools.
“Seeking the views of local families is very important to us. They are central to our decision-making, and this strength was praised in the inspection.
“We have also worked with our special schools to create ‘satellite’ provisions, which add extra places away from their main sites.
“In addition, we have increased the number of specialist places within mainstream schools. Many children with additional needs benefit from staying in a mainstream setting, so we have worked with local schools to create excellent facilities which are tailored to those needs.
“Last year we introduced a new way for schools to work together in identifying, and responding to children’s individual needs at the earliest opportunity. This new model was recognised in the inspection and will have positive, long-term impacts for many families.
“Another innovation has helped neurodiverse children to improve their wellbeing and school attendance. Our work with schools is central to improving lives.”
Councillor Viv Kendrick, Cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) are often cited as an example of strain in the national SEND system and, again, we fully recognise that local processes have been under pressure. This has been a huge frustration for all concerned.
“We’ve seen good progress with EHCPs in Kirklees – for example, month by month, we’ve almost doubled the number issued within a 20-week timeframe, putting us above the national average.
“Changes to the EHCP system include a new IT process, plus investment in more staffing, and assessments overall are now happening much more quickly. There is still more to do, and we are equally focused on the quality of each plan, but the timeliness of EHCPs remains a priority against the backdrop of ever-increasing demand.
“Elsewhere, we have simplified and improved the ways that families can access local support, providing a better experience which was recognised by the inspection.
“The report also noted consistent support from professionals, and I’m pleased to say our SEND services for Early Years children have gained national recognition.
“We’ve got further work ahead of us and, like every single council, we’re faced with complex difficulties around high demand and insufficient national funding. Our aim, along with our partners, is to make the biggest possible difference for children and young people with SEND, and their families.”
Prior to this one, Kirklees’ last SEND inspection was in 2022 and, at the time, a Written Statement of Action was published in response. The Department for Education and NHS England later confirmed that the requirements of the statement had been met.
In a 2024 report by the National Audit Office, it was found that the number of UK children with EHCPs had risen by 140 per cent since 2015. The same report recommended ‘whole system reform’ to make national SEND provision financially sustainable, with a forecast mismatch of up to £3.9bn when the cost of SEND to local authorities was compared with funding, the council explained.
Information and data about SEND in Kirklees is published on the council website and is also scrutinised independently by councillors. The Kirklees Local Offer website brings together activities, support and services for those with additional needs. You can find it at www.kirkleeslocaloffer.org.uk
