Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve SEND provision in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

The government’s ambition for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is that they will achieve and thrive, and lead happy, healthy and productive lives. The department is working closely with experts on SEND reforms.

The department and NHS England have been supporting local areas to improve their SEND service delivery for several years. This includes a monitoring, support and challenge relationship following an inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Where a local authority does not meet its duties, we can take action that prioritises children’s needs and support local areas to bring about rapid improvement.

Ofsted and CQC undertook a joint local area SEND inspection of Bath and North East Somerset in March 2019 and received a positive outcome (the local area was not required to produce a written statement of action). We expect the area will be re-inspected within 5 years from January 2023, when the new Ofsted and CQC’s SEND inspection framework was introduced. Officials from the department and NHS England meet annually with partners from the local area (including health, education, agencies, parent/carer, children and young people representatives) to review and reflect on the SEND services.