Bexley has been commended for enhancing its services for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) following the identification of “widespread and/or systemic failings” just over two years ago. During a December 2023 inspection, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) uncovered deficiencies in the South East London borough that raised “significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.”
As a consequence, Bexley Council and the South East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) were required to develop and submit a Priority Action Plan to rectify the identified issues. Specific areas of concern included Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans not being issued “in a timely way” and lacking “a clear focus on how the child and young person will be supported to achieve the best outcomes in adult life.” EHC plans, also known as EHCPs, are legal documents provided by local authorities for children and young people aged 0 to 25 who require additional support beyond what mainstream educational settings can typically offer. These plans outline the extra assistance needed for the young person to succeed in school.
Another problem highlighted in the 2023 inspection was delays and gaps in commissioning and providing speech and language and occupational therapies. In February 2026, Ofsted and the CQC revisited Bexley to evaluate the borough’s progress in improving its SEND services. They determined that Bexley had taken “effective action” and “reasonable steps” to address the areas of concern identified during the earlier inspection.
Inspectors found that Bexley Council and the South East London ICB had strengthened joint working across services, including schools and colleges, to better support children with SEND as they prepare for adult life. The report states: “Schools and caseworkers now prioritise preparation for adulthood when updating children and young people’s EHC plans. As a result, many EHC plans are more detailed, personalised and focused on key adult life outcomes, such as independence, health, community participation and employment.”
Inspectors also noted improvements in both the quality and speed of publishing EHC plans in Bexley. This was largely attributed to the introduction of a SEND Hub, an online tool that consolidates schools, caseworkers, and other services in one place “to draft and update plans quickly and effectively.” To address the speech and language and occupational therapy issues, Bexley Council and the South East London ICB launched a new collaborative therapy commissioning model. Inspectors said this gave the NHS provider more stability, enabling it to plan its workforce recruitment in advance.
Therapists now work more regularly in schools, and online tools are used to better track therapy provision across Bexley schools. This allows the borough to “spot where support is uneven, direct resources more fairly and identify unmet needs sooner.” In response to the latest inspection, Bexley Council Leader David Leaf said: “It is clear from the report that the inspectors have recognised all the extremely hard work that has been put in to make these improvements. Our officers and partners have been able to more than deliver on our Priority Action Plan.
“The changes have been made to a high standard, often using innovative new ways of working. I know that the inspectors were impressed with the changes that we have put in place. The improvement work was underpinned by political support and engagement by all members throughout our journey. At the heart of all this hard work are our children and young people. We never forget that we ultimately work for them and any improvements we make can only lead to a better outcome for them. I am grateful for the parents and carers and school pupils who have played an important part in the improvement and inspection process.
“I’d like to extend my thanks to all those involved in the improvement work. Their commitment and input have helped us to raise standards and to pioneer new initiatives that will benefit children, young people and families across the borough.”
