Our colleagues at SEND Family Voices have asked us to pass on the following message to Kingston parents:
Last week Ofsted announced a SEND Local Area Inspection for Kingston.
This inspection is to review how Kingston Borough meets its responsibilities to children and young people (from birth to age 25) who have special educational needs or disabilities (or both).
This is much more wide-ranging than a normal Ofsted school inspection and will cover education, health and social care and look at schools, nurseries, community facilities for children with SEN and will review how well the Local Authority, Achieving for Children and the NHS are meeting their duties under the 2014 Children and Families Act. It will also examine how well these services work together to assess and meet the needs of our children and young people.
The inspection team will include:
· an Her Majesty’s Inspector with enhanced specialism in special educational needs and disabilities
· a CQC specialist children’s services inspector (Health specialist)
· an Ofsted inspector (usually a serving practitioner in another local authority) specially recruited and trained in special educational needs and disabilities issues
We need as many Kingston parents and carers to provide their views to the inspectors as possible. (This inspection does not include Richmond. We asked when the Richmond inspection would happen – but as of now there is no information on this).
Here is how you can contribute to the inspection:
1) Attend a parent meeting with the inspection team on:
Wednesday 19th September (next Wednesday) – 13:00 to 14:15
The King Charles Centre, Surbiton. KT5 9AL
If you would like to attend please could we ask you to let us know at [email protected] so that we can manage numbers and ensure that an appropriate room is arranged.
This meeting is for parents and the Ofsted team only. There will be no attendees from the Local Authority or Local Area attending.
2) Complete an online feedback to the inspection using their webinar tool. This is a set questionnaire, and there is a space for comments. Click this link to go to the webinar survey: http://bit.ly/LASENDKingstonUponThames
The webinar link will be available until 16:00 on Tuesday 18th September.
3) If you are unable to attend the meeting or use the webinar tool for any reason, you may also email the inspection team with information on [email protected] before Friday 21st September.
Ofsted’s letter
Here is a link to the Ofsted letter which can be found on our website:
http://www.sendfamilyvoices.org/news-2018
If you have any questions do email us at [email protected]
We hope that you will take this opportunity to make your voice heard and hope to see many of you at the meeting next Wednesday.
With best wishes from all at SEND Family Voices