Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment has she made of the potential implications for her policies of the outcome of the joint Ofsted and CQC Area SEND Inspection published on 13 May 2025.

Cambridgeshire local area partnership was inspected by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) from 27 to 31 January 2025. The inspection outcome was that the local areas partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Five areas for improvement were identified and the department is working with the local partnership to monitor improvement in these five areas.

Where a council does not meet its duties, the department can take action that prioritises children’s needs and supports local areas to bring about rapid improvement. We offer a range of universal, targeted and intensive support through department-managed programmes, such as our sector led improvement Partners.

The current Ofsted/CQC area SEND inspection framework was launched in January 2023. All local areas are due to receive a full inspection under this framework by the end of 2027, driving better outcomes and standards in the system.

As part of our Plan for Change, the department is determined to fix the SEND system and restore the trust of parents. We will bring forward a full Schools White Paper early in the new year.