City's special education services 'are failing'

OFSTED AND CQC ORDER A 'PRIORITY ACTION PLAN' TO BE CARRIED OUT

-  KATIE TIMMS

PLYMOUTH’S special educational needs and/or disabilities [SEND] services are failing and need urgent changes. The concerns have been raised after a joint inspection of the Plymouth Local Area Partnership.

Inspectors from education watchdog Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission [CQC] carried out a four-day visit in June and found a number of issues that need addressing.

The report said there needs to be improvement in identifying the needs of children earlier, with some children and young people missing out on checks carried out as part of the Healthy Child Programme.

“This means some children’s needs may not have been identified at the earliest opportunity,” the report states. “In primary schools, the formal assessment process does not always happen early enough. As they get older, young people do not receive timely assessment, help and advice when making the transition to adult services to help them plan for their futures.”

Plymouth City Council has said a priority action plan is being produced to address the issues.