Between 23 and 25 May 2022, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) revisited the Devon Local Area to decide whether sufficient improvement had been made in each of the areas of significant weakness found during their inspection in December 2018. Their conclusion was that the Devon Local Area was still not doing well enough for children and young people, and their families.
In response, an Accelerated Progress Plan (APP) was developed to address the four Areas of Significant Weakness (ASWs) identified in the original inspection:
- ASW 1: Strategic plans and local SEND arrangements are not embedded or widely understood by stakeholders, including schools, settings, staff, and parents.
- ASW 2: Significant concerns about communication with key stakeholders, particularly parents and families.
- ASW 3: The time it takes to issue Education, Health, and Care (EHC) plans and the variable quality of these plans.
- ASW 4: Weaknesses in the identification, assessment, diagnosis and support for children and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
In Spring 2025, Devon’s APP was reviewed and updated, with the agreement from the Department for Education (DfE) and NHS England, to align with the reset of the SEND Transformation Programme.
Delivery of the APP sits within the SEND Transformation Programme, with progress reviewed monthly by the Local Authority and formally monitored quarterly by the DfE and NHS England.
The 2022 SEND inspection report
The May 2022 re-visit by Ofsted and the CQC evaluated how effectively leaders have addressed the areas of significant weaknesses detailed in the Written Statement of Action (WSOA). Inspectors met with children and young people with SEND, parents and carers, SENDCos, educational settings and staff from Devon County Council and NHS Devon.
Following the re-visit, Devon County Council and NHS Devon were issued an improvement notice requiring urgent action to address the four areas of significant weakness.