Ofsted Praises Hackney SEND Improvements, Seeks EHCP Consistency

Key Points

• Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission published their joint report following the Local Area Partnership inspection conducted in Hackney in November 2025.
• The inspection was part of Ofsted’s regular timetable, using the newly reviewed Area SEND Inspection Framework published in June 2025.
• It assessed local area education, health, and care services for children and young people aged 0-25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and those receiving SEN Support.
• Inspectors recognised significant progress in improving experiences and outcomes for Hackney’s children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), noting they achieve well and have higher-than-average school attendance.
• Leaders demonstrated strong knowledge of Hackney’s needs and diversity, with services co-produced and commissioned alongside local communities in culturally sensitive ways to provide tailored support, build trust, and remove barriers.
• Children and young people’s views are welcomed, and the Hackney SEND Parent Carer Forum is a strategic and valued partner.
• Children with complex needs and health disabilities benefit from seamless pathways and a comprehensive, tailored offer.
• In early years, potential special educational needs are identified quickly and carefully, with effective support provided.
• Some initiatives are new, recently changed, or in planning stages, making it too early to see sustained impact on children’s day-to-day lives, including the new Education Strategic Plan and SEND and Inclusion Strategy for 2026-2029, both approved in December 2025.
• Recommendations include extending dashboards to key performance indicators, building secondary school partnerships to reduce exclusions and suspensions, improving the local alternative provision offer and post-16 offer to prevent young people becoming NEET (not in education, employment, or training).
• Timelines and quality of EHCPs need further improvement, with more multi-disciplinary input.
• Hackney has a large EHCP cohort of 3,839 children and young people, double the number from 2019, compared to statistical and England averages.
• The Council has invested in additional posts to improve EHCP timeliness and quality, showing some positive outcomes, but financial constraints and high demand create barriers to sufficient staffing for assessments, creation, and maintenance.
• Leaders are committed to improving the EHC needs assessment process for a consistently positive experience for children and parents.

Hackney (East London Times) February 5, 2026 – Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission have published their joint report following a Local Area Partnership inspection in November 2025, recognising substantial improvements in Hackney’s support for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), while urging further work to ensure consistency across services.​

The inspection, conducted under Ofsted’s regular timetable and the updated Area SEND Inspection Framework from June 2025, evaluated education, health, and care services for those aged 0-25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or receiving SEN Support. Inspectors highlighted that Hackney’s SEND children and young people achieve well and maintain higher-than-average school attendance. However, emerging strategies require time to demonstrate lasting impact.

What Progress Has Hackney Made in SEND Support?

Inspectors praised the progress in enhancing experiences and outcomes for SEND children and young people. As detailed in the official Ofsted report linked in the announcement, these individuals “achieve well and have higher school attendance than average”.​

Leaders’ deep understanding of Hackney’s diverse needs was commended, with services co-produced and commissioned in culturally sensitive manners. This approach provides tailored support, builds trust, and removes barriers, according to the report. The inclusion of children and young people’s views was noted positively, with the Hackney SEND Parent Carer Forum recognised as “a strategic and valued partner”.​

For children with complex needs and health disabilities, seamless pathways ensure access to a comprehensive, tailored offer. In early years settings, potential special educational needs are “identified quickly and carefully,” leading to effective support.

Why Are Some Improvements Still in Early Stages?

While many elements function effectively, parts of Hackney’s SEND work are new, recently altered, or under development, per the inspectors’ findings. This includes the Education Strategic Plan and the SEND and Inclusion Strategy for 2026-2029, both approved in December 2025, as referenced in Hackney Council’s news release.​

As reported in the official announcement on Hackney’s website, it is “too early to see the sustained impact on children’s day-to-day lives” from these initiatives. The report emphasises that recent changes limit evaluable outcomes at present.​

What Recommendations Did Inspectors Provide?

Inspectors outlined improvements mirroring Hackney’s own November 2025 SEND self-assessment. Key actions include extending current dashboards to incorporate key performance indicators and strengthening partnerships with secondary schools to curb exclusions and suspensions.​

Further steps involve enhancing the local alternative provision offer and post-16 options to prevent young people from becoming NEET, as noted in the linked Hackney news on early support. The local area partnership must also refine EHCP timelines and quality, prioritising multi-disciplinary input.​

How Large Is Hackney’s EHCP Cohort and What Challenges Persist?

Hackney maintains a notably large EHCP cohort, with 3,839 children and young people currently holding plans—double the 2019 figure and exceeding statistical and England averages.​

The Council has invested in extra posts to boost EHCP timeliness and quality, yielding some positive results. Yet, as stated in the report, “financial constraints of recent years, doubled by the high demand,” hinder sufficient staffing for coordinating assessments, creation, and maintenance.​

Leaders remain committed to refining the EHC needs assessment process, aiming for a “consistently positive experience for all involved, especially children and their parents.”​

What Framework Guided This Inspection?

The joint inspection adhered to the newly reviewed Area SEND Inspection Framework and Handbook, published by the government in June 2025. This framework, accessible via the GOV.UK publication, structures evaluations of local area partnerships.​

It focuses on services for 0-25 year-olds with EHCPs or SEN Support, aligning with Ofsted’s routine cycle. The full Ofsted report, file reference 50294738, provides comprehensive evidence.​

How Does Hackney’s Self-Assessment Align with Ofsted’s View?

Hackney’s November 2025 SEND self-assessment, available via the linked Google Document, identifies similar priorities to the inspectors’ recommendations. This includes dashboard expansions, exclusion reductions, and EHCP enhancements.​

The alignment underscores proactive local efforts, though implementation lags in some areas due to resourcing. Inspectors’ observations validate Hackney’s identified gaps while affirming strengths.​

What Role Do Parent Carer Forums Play?

The Hackney SEND Parent Carer Forum stands out as a “strategic and valued partner,” actively shaping services. Inspectors noted leaders’ welcome of children and young people’s views, fostering co-production.​

This partnership exemplifies culturally sensitive commissioning, tailoring support to diverse communities. It builds trust essential for barrier removal in SEND provision.​

Why Is Early Years Identification Crucial?

Early years provision excels, with needs spotted “quickly and carefully” and effective support ensuing. This prompt intervention sets a foundation for long-term outcomes, per the report.​

Such efficiency contrasts with broader EHCP challenges, highlighting sector-specific successes amid systemic pressures.​

What Measures Address Exclusions and NEET Risks?

Recommendations target secondary school collaborations to lower exclusions and suspensions. Improving alternative and post-16 provisions aims to keep young people engaged, avoiding NEET status.​

These build on existing early support expansions, as covered in Hackney’s news updates. Sustained impact awaits fuller rollout.​

How Are Complex Needs Pathways Structured?

Children with complex needs and health disabilities access “seamless pathways” to a comprehensive, tailored offer. This multi-agency integration ensures holistic care.​

Inspectors lauded this as a strength, contrasting areas needing consistency like EHCPs.​

What Financial and Demand Pressures Affect EHCPs?

High demand has doubled Hackney’s EHCP numbers to 3,839 since 2019, surpassing averages. Recent financial constraints exacerbate staffing shortages for EHCP coordination.​

Despite investments showing gains, barriers persist, prompting ongoing commitments to improvement.

What’s Next for Hackney’s SEND Strategies?

The December 2025-approved Education Strategic Plan and SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2026-2029 signal forward momentum. Their novelty means impacts are pending evaluation.​

Hackney leaders prioritise multi-disciplinary EHCP enhancements and performance tracking via dashboards