Message from Marilyn January 2019:

When I built this website five years ago The Children and Families Act was about to come into force. EHCPs were replacing SEN statements and LDAs and Ofsted were preparing to launch their new Common Inspection Framework. 

SEND was the new buzz-word and we were excitedly preparing to enter a world where the focus for young people was well and truly on preparation for adulthood in terms of employment, independent living and community participation. There was a whole new set of challenges for colleges and learning providers with the spotlight on the quality of provision for young people with SEND and complex needs.

Since that time I have worked with many colleges who have risen to the challenge with varying degrees of success, often struggling against a backdrop of  local area capacity, both financial and physical, being stretched to its absolute limit. Have the reforms worked? As I write this the Education Committee have just held a round-table discussion to gather evidence about the effectiveness of the SEND reforms for the post-16 sector. You can watch the full discussion here:  https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/5da6a47b-ff9c-437d-a401-2cd4b0ce4cd1. 

And now we are preparing for change again, with the new Ofsted EIF planned for September 2019. On paper, this is another exciting development and we should welcome the fact that the new framework puts the emphasis on the quality of education  rather than just test and exam results. Providers will be judged on the extent to which the curriculum enables learners to succeed. In particular, “Inspectors will also seek to assure themselves that the provider offers disadvantaged learners or those with SEND, including those who have high needs, a curriculum that remains ambitious and meets their needs.”

I hope that in another five years I will be updating this post with a wealth of success stories – onwards and upwards!