Services for special needs win plaudits

Most local education authorities are successfully supporting
teenagers with special educational needs, says a new report.

An Ofsted inspection of 12 LEAs finds that, although many are still
“grappling” with arrangements to ensure high quality services
across all ages, most are providing effective support to young
people with special educational needs.

The report states that two-thirds of the LEAs visited have been
involved in specific initiatives to support students with SEN.
However, they have no comprehensive means of using assessment data
to help plan SEN provision.

Most of the LEAs provide effective support to 14-19-year-olds in
danger of being excluded from mainstream education, the report
adds.

The inspectors say there is “demonstrable evidence” that the
measures taken are improving the attendance, attitudes and
motivation of some of the most vulnerable pre-16 students and
encouraging them to stay in post-16 education.

More than half of LEAs also have good strategies for supporting
children in care. Each of the 12 LEAs surveyed had previously
identified support for 14 to 19 education as a specific priority in
its education development plan for 2002-7.

– Supporting 14 to 19 Education from www.ofsted.gov.uk