Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of special education needs and disability (SEND) services for children in Nottinghamshire; and what steps she plans to take to support local authorities in Nottinghamshire to help improve the delivery of SEND services.

The last local area special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) inspection by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for Nottinghamshire was in February 2023. Following the inspection, the department is closely monitoring the areas for priority action and improvement that were identified by inspectors and the progress made by children and young people with SEND, and has appointed a SEND adviser to support the local area SEND partnership. Nottinghamshire County Council is committed to working closely with the department to improve services and has established an independently chaired improvement board and published a SEND priority action plan to address the issues identified in the inspection report. An Ofsted and CQC monitoring inspection will be carried out approximately 18 months after the initial inspection and the next full area SEND inspection will take place within approximately three years.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with SEND or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach in collaboration with local area partnerships to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, and to ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.