Ofsted Issues Warning to Hackney Council Over SEND Pupil Exclusions
Ofsted has issued a stark warning to Hackney Council, urging immediate action to reduce the number of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) being excluded from schools in the East London borough. The education watchdog's latest inspection report, published on February 5, 2026, highlights that exclusion rates for SEND children in Hackney secondary schools have remained unacceptably high for an extended period.
Persistent Problems with Exclusion Rates
Inspectors found that while the council acknowledges the need to significantly reduce permanent exclusion levels over time, it remains too early to see tangible impacts from current partnership work addressing this critical issue. The report particularly emphasises concerns that some children's social, emotional and mental health needs are being identified "too late," potentially contributing to exclusion patterns.
During their November 2025 investigation, Ofsted inspectors reviewed SEND support across Hackney's educational and social care services, hearing directly from parents who reported that some secondary schools were failing to identify their children's needs promptly or implement reasonable adjustments necessary for proper support. These parental concerns were subsequently verified through evidence provided by Hackney's own SEND services.
Strengths and Areas Requiring Improvement
Despite these significant concerns, Ofsted acknowledged several areas of strong performance within the borough. Inspectors praised local leaders' comprehensive knowledge of the area, the quality of speech and language therapies available, and the positive support provided to families of newborns with SEND through Homerton Hospital's neonatal unit.
However, the watchdog pressed the council to accelerate the assessment process for Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans, which legally entitle SEND children and young people to additional support funded by the local authority. Hackney currently has 3,839 children and young people with EHC plans - double the number recorded in 2019 - giving the borough the 23rd-highest number of such plans in England according to council data.
Broader Context of School Behaviour Policies
Local authority statistics reveal that Hackney has one of London's highest rates of pupil suspensions and exclusions, with councillors previously raising concerns about disproportionate impacts on specific groups of children. This Ofsted report follows the council's publication of a new strategy promoting inclusion and anti-racism in borough schools, alongside an "in-depth" review of school behaviour policies initiated a year ago.
The inspection occurred shortly before the local safeguarding partnership published a critical report about Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy (MVPA), one of Hackney's top-performing schools. Led by former Director of Children's Services Sir Alan Wood, the investigation found MVPA had fostered a "particularly harmful" disciplinary culture for vulnerable pupils, including sanctioning SEND pupils for behaviours linked to their conditions.
Data Reveals Disproportionate Impact
A Freedom of Information request submitted by local resident and Green Party candidate Dylan Law revealed concerning detention patterns across four Hackney academies between 2022 and 2025. During this period, Haggerston School pupils with SEND comprised over 20% of those receiving detentions, while the City of London Academy in Shoreditch recorded an 18% rate.
At City Academy Hackney, 6.5% of pupils involved in recorded behaviour incidents had EHC plans, though the school didn't specify how many detained pupils were on the SEND register without care plans. The Bridge Academy reported that a third of detentions issued during spring and summer terms last year went to SEND pupils, though they couldn't provide earlier data due to a "system change."
Council Response and Future Plans
In a joint statement responding to the Ofsted findings, Councillor Antoinette Bramble, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Young People, and Councillor Anya Sizer, Deputy Cabinet Member for SEND and Early Years, expressed some disappointment while thanking inspectors for their "positive and fair assessment."
"While we would have liked to be able to pride ourselves with the best possible inspection outcome, we are glad to see the inspectors recognise our progress so far," they stated. "Our improvement journey does not start, nor does it end here. We already have robust plans in place that will guide us in the months and years ahead, and we will continue to advocate for and on behalf of each and every child and young person with SEND."
The councillors confirmed they look forward to demonstrating progress when the next inspection occurs three years from now, emphasising their commitment to addressing the identified issues systematically and comprehensively.
