Hackney SEND Inspection Results What Ofsted Found

Hackney’s Local Area Partnership received a middle-tier Ofsted outcome in February 2026, recognising improvements in early identification, co-produced services, and complex-needs pathways while requiring urgent action on secondary exclusions, EHCP timelines, and alternative provision.

What did the Ofsted inspection find about Hackney SEND?

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission judged Hackney’s Local Area Partnership as taking action where improvements are needed, following a full Area SEND inspection in November 2025. The report, published on 5 February 2026, concludes that children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Hackney experience inconsistent outcomes: some services work well, but others are new, changed recently, or still in planning, so sustained impact is not yet visible.

The inspection assessed education, health, and care services for children and young people aged 0 to 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and those receiving SEN Support. Inspectors combined document analysis, case audits, data review, and engagement with parents, carers, children, young people, and professionals. Hackney’s Local Area Partnership includes the London Borough of Hackney and the North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB).

How did Hackney’s SEND services perform overall?

Hackney received the middle Ofsted outcome: the local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes, and it must work jointly to make improvements. This sits between “typically lead to positive outcomes” and “widespread/systemic failings requiring urgent action.”

The report explicitly recognises progress since earlier inspections, particularly in leadership knowledge of local needs and diversity, co-production with communities, and tailored commissioning. Inspectors highlight higher-than-average school attendance for children and young people with SEND and effective support for those with complex health disabilities through seamless pathways. Early-years identification is described as quick and careful, with effective early intervention.

However, the middle outcome reflects that some areas remain too new or recently changed to show sustained impact on day-to-day lives. This includes the Education Strategic Plan and the SEND and Inclusion Strategy for 2026–2029, both approved in December 2025.

What strengths did Ofsted identify in Hackney SEND?

Inspectors praised leaders’ knowledge of Hackney’s needs, culturally sensitive co-production, tailored support, and strong complex-needs pathways that improve experiences for many children and young people with SEND.

The report notes that services are commissioned with local communities in culturally sensitive ways, building trust and removing barriers. The Hackney SEND Parent Carer Forum is recognised as a strategic and valued partner. Children and young people’s views are welcomed by leaders, and the inspection acknowledges that children with complex needs and health disabilities benefit from a comprehensive, tailored offer.

In early years, special educational needs are identified quickly and carefully, and children receive effective support. Speech and language therapy provision is highlighted as a strength. Families of newborns with SEND are reported to have received positive support from Homerton Hospital’s neonatal unit.

What areas did Ofsted say needed improvement?

Ofsted identified urgent improvement needs around secondary exclusions and suspensions, EHCP timelines and quality, alternative provision, post-16 offer, and the speed of identifying social, emotional, and mental health needs.

The report states that the number of children and young people permanently excluded from Hackney secondary schools with SEND has been high for “too long”. The council accepts it needs to significantly cut permanent exclusion levels over time, but inspectors say it is too early to see the impact of the partnership’s work on this issue.

Inspectors press for faster assessment and better quality of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), with more multi-disciplinary input. EHCPs are legally binding documents that entitle children and young people with SEND to extra support funded by the local authority. The inspection also recommends improving the local alternative provision offer and the post-16 offer to prevent young people from becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training).

Some children’s social, emotional, and mental health needs are identified “too late”, according to parent feedback verified by SEND services evidence. Parents reported that some secondary schools were not identifying needs quickly enough or using reasonable adjustments required to support pupils properly.

How many children in Hackney have EHCPs and what does this mean?

In Hackney, 3,839 children and young people have Education, Health and Care Plans, double the number recorded in 2019, placing the borough 23rd highest in England by EHCP volume as of 2025.

EHCPs are statutory plans that set out a child or young person’s education, health, and care needs and the support required to meet them. Local authorities must secure the special educational provision specified in the plan. The rapid rise in EHCP numbers in Hackney reflects increasing identification of need, improved diagnostic pathways, and national policy emphasis on graduated support.

The growth in EHCPs increases pressure on assessment timelines, multi-agency coordination, and funding. Ofsted’s focus on EHCP timelines and quality connects directly to this volume: more plans mean more complex caseloads for educational psychologists, specialist teachers, health professionals, and social care staff.

How are exclusions and suspensions affecting SEND pupils in Hackney?

Hackney has one of the highest rates of pupil suspensions and exclusions in London, with SEND pupils disproportionately represented in behaviour sanctions across several secondary academies.

Local authority data cited in the coverage shows high exclusion rates, and councillors have previously raised concerns that expulsions disproportionately affect specific groups of children. A Freedom of Information request shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed that between 2022 and 2025, pupils with SEND comprised more than 20 per cent of total detentions at Haggerston School, 18 per cent at City of London Academy Shoreditch, and around a third of detentions at The Bridge Academy in spring and summer 2024.

At City Academy Hackney, 6.5 per cent of recorded behaviour incidents involved pupils with EHC plans during the same period. These figures align with Ofsted’s concern that too many SEND pupils are being excluded and that school behaviour cultures can disadvantage vulnerable learners. The report sits alongside wider safeguarding concerns, including a critical review of Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy’s disciplinary culture for vulnerable pupils.

What is Hackney’s SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2026–2029?

Hackney’s SEND and Inclusion Strategy for 2026–2029, approved in December 2025, sets the strategic direction for improving SEND outcomes alongside the Education Strategic Plan, but Ofsted says it is too early to see sustained impact.

The strategy is part of a broader improvement journey that includes the new Education Strategic Plan, also approved in December 2025. These documents aim to improve inclusion, reduce exclusions, strengthen alternative provision, and enhance post-16 pathways. The council states that service plans will be updated to address inspectors’ recommendations within weeks of the report’s publication.

Ofsted’s recommendations mirror those already identified in Hackney’s November 2025 SEND self-assessment, suggesting alignment between local priorities and inspection findings. Key themes include extending dashboard use with key performance indicators, deepening partnership with secondary schools to reduce exclusions and suspensions, improving alternative provision, and strengthening post-16 offers to prevent NEET status.

How does the inspection affect families and schools in East London?

Families can expect continued improvements in early identification and complex-needs support but should also see concrete action on faster EHCPs, reduced exclusions, and better alternative and post-16 provision in Hackney schools.

Parents and carers in Hackney have contributed through the Hackney SEND Parent Carer Forum, which the inspection recognises as a strategic partner. Families of newborns with SEND are reported to have benefited from strong neonatal support, and early-years identification is a strength. However, families with secondary-age children may experience more pressure around exclusions, suspensions, and delays in EHCP assessments.

Schools, particularly secondary academies, face heightened expectations to identify needs earlier, apply reasonable adjustments consistently, and reduce behaviour sanctions that disproportionately affect SEND pupils. The majority of secondary schools in Hackney are academies, not directly under local authority control, which shapes how improvement actions are implemented.

What are the next steps after the Ofsted inspection?

Hackney’s Local Area Partnership must produce an action plan addressing Ofsted’s recommendations, focusing on exclusions, EHCP timelines, alternative provision, post-16 pathways, and multi-disciplinary plan quality.

The council has committed to updating service plans within weeks to respond to the inspectors’ recommendations. The next Area SEND inspection is scheduled in three years, providing a clear accountability horizon for measuring progress. Leaders indicate that the improvement journey “does not start, nor end here”, signalling ongoing work beyond the immediate action plan.

The inspection framework allows for three possible outcomes. Hackney’s middle outcome requires the local area partnership to work jointly to make improvements, with follow-up monitoring by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission. The alignment between the inspection recommendations and Hackney’s own self-assessment suggests a focused, evidence-based improvement programme.

What does the inspection mean for SEND policy in Hackney?

The inspection reinforces Hackney’s existing policy direction while adding external pressure to accelerate change on exclusions, EHCP processes, and post-16 support.

Hackney already conducted an in-depth review of school behaviour policies and published a strategy to promote inclusion and anti-racism in schools. The Ofsted findings validate some of these priorities, particularly around behaviour cultures and the impact on vulnerable pupils. The report also underlines the need to extend dashboard use with key performance indicators, enabling more precise tracking of SEND outcomes across the borough.

The North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB), as a partner in the Local Area Partnership, shares responsibility for health aspects of SEND support, including therapy provision and multi-disciplinary input into EHCPs. Joint working between the council and the ICB is central to meeting the inspection’s expectations.

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How can parents and professionals use the inspection report?

Parents, carers, and professionals can use the inspection report to advocate for earlier identification, reasonable adjustments, faster EHCP processes, and reduced exclusions in Hackney schools.

The report provides a clear, public benchmark of what is working well and what requires improvement. It can be used in meetings with schools, the local authority, and health partners to support requests for specific adjustments or faster assessments. Parent carers can reference the report’s findings on late identification of social, emotional, and mental health needs and on high exclusion rates to challenge practices that disadvantage SEND pupils.

Professionals in schools, health, and social care can use the report to prioritise multi-disciplinary input into EHCPs, strengthen alternative provision, and improve post-16 pathways. The report’s emphasis on co-production supports continued engagement with the Hackney SEND Parent Carer Forum and other community partners.

What historical context shapes Hackney’s SEND inspection outcome?

Hackney’s education system has undergone major structural change since the early 2000s, including the creation of the Learning Trust, which influences how SEND services are designed and delivered.

Historic Ofsted inspections of Hackney’s local education authority in 2003 documented very low standards, high deprivation, and significant weaknesses in SEN strategy and value for money. The 2003 report noted that over one quarter of pupils had special educational needs, with particularly high secondary SEN rates and above-average placement in special schools.

The shift to the Learning Trust model in 2002–2003 reorganised how educational services were delivered, with a focus on school improvement, inclusion, and targeted support for under-achieving groups. The current Local Area Partnership with the North East London ICB builds on this history, but the 2026 inspection shows that inconsistent outcomes persist, especially in secondary phase behaviour and exclusions.

How does Hackney’s SEND inspection relate to wider London trends?

Hackney’s high EHCP numbers and exclusion rates reflect broader London pressures, but the borough stands out for both its strengths in early years and complex-needs pathways and its challenges in secondary behaviour and post-16 support.

London local authorities face rising demand for SEND support, driven by better identification, more complex needs, and increased awareness of rights. Hackney’s 3,839 EHCPs, double the 2019 figure, is consistent with this trend. The borough’s high deprivation levels and ethnic diversity intensify the need for culturally sensitive, co-produced services, which the inspection acknowledges as a strength.

At the same time, London-wide concerns about exclusions, alternative provision capacity, and NEET rates are reflected sharply in Hackney’s inspection recommendations. The emphasis on dashboards, key performance indicators, and partnership with academies aligns with wider London improvement strategies.

What are the key data points from the Hackney SEND inspection?

Key data points include 3,839 EHCPs in Hackney (double 2019), 23rd highest EHCP volume in England, high secondary exclusions and suspensions, and improved early-years identification and attendance for SEND pupils.

Inspectors verified parent reports of late identification and insufficient reasonable adjustments in some secondary schools. The report notes that some children’s social, emotional, and mental health needs are identified “too late”, affecting their access to appropriate support. Attendance for children and young people with SEND in Hackney is higher than average, which the inspection highlights as a positive outcome.

The inspection also highlights the scale of EHCP work: legally binding plans requiring multi-disciplinary input, timely assessments, and clear special educational provision. The combination of rising EHCP numbers, high exclusion rates, and complex needs underpins the call for faster, higher-quality planning and stronger alternative and post-16 offers.

How will the inspection influence future SEND provision in Hackney?

The inspection will drive targeted improvements in exclusion reduction, EHCP quality and speed, alternative provision, and post-16 pathways, with progress measured over the next three years.

Hackney’s leaders have committed to updating service plans to address the recommendations, and the next Area SEND inspection provides a clear deadline for demonstrating sustained impact. The focus on dashboards and key performance indicators suggests more data-driven management of SEND outcomes.

The partnership between the council and the North East London ICB will be central to delivering health-related improvements, such as faster multi-disciplinary input and better therapy integration. Schools, especially secondary academies, will face increased expectations to identify needs early, apply reasonable adjustments consistently, and reduce sanctions that disproportionately affect SEND pupils. Over time, these changes should move Hackney from “inconsistent outcomes” toward more consistently positive experiences and achievements for children and young people with SEND.