The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee met on Wednesday 1 July 2026 to discuss the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Annual Report, Elective Home Education (EHE), and the re-establishment of the Ofsted Subgroup. Key decisions included requesting a focus on transition in next year's SEND report and re-establishing the Ofsted Subgroup with Councillor Richard Fletcher appointed as Chair.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Annual Report

The committee reviewed Manchester's Change Programme work and its preparation for implementing the SEND Reform Plan, as outlined in the SEND and Inclusion Plan. Representatives from the Manchester Parent Carer Forum and Manchester Parent Champions shared insights into their organisations' work, highlighting the importance of co-production and the positive impact of listening to families' concerns.

Key themes discussed included:

• Measuring the impact of mainstream inclusion: The committee questioned how to effectively measure whether mainstream inclusion was improving outcomes for children with SEND.
• Support during neurodevelopmental assessment waits: Concerns were raised about the support available for children and families while awaiting neurodevelopmental assessments, such as for autism or ADHD.
• Staffing for current and future demands: The adequacy of staffing levels to meet current and future demands for SEND support was a point of discussion.
• Access to support without an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP): The committee explored how support would be accessed without an EHCP, ensuring it reached the individual child and met their specific needs.
• Transition from primary to secondary school: The challenges faced by children with SEND during the transition from primary to secondary school were highlighted, with a request for next year's SEND report to focus on this area.
• Quality of SEND support in schools: The committee discussed how the quality of SEND support in schools would be monitored, with Ofsted inspections and local authority data being key mechanisms.
• Unseen disabilities: The identification of children with less visible disabilities, such as dyslexia and Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (formerly dyspraxia), was discussed.
• Impact of poverty on SEND outcomes: The intersection of poverty and SEND and its impact on outcomes and support was a significant consideration.
• The role of EHCPs: The committee queried whether the reforms were a response to the growing demand for EHCPs and whether EHCPs would still be available for those who genuinely needed them.
• Co-production and learning from abroad: The value of co-production with parents and carers was emphasised, and the committee expressed interest in learning from international approaches to diagnosis and support.
• Dyslexia support: The lifetime impact of dyslexia and the importance of timely and appropriate support were highlighted.

The Director of Education explained that the SEND reforms aimed to provide funding to schools upfront, enabling them to meet pupils' needs from the start, rather than relying on lengthy bureaucratic processes. A pilot programme in ten primary schools had shown positive results, with children's needs being met without escalating to EHCPs, and plans were in place to expand this. The Senior SEND Quality Assurance Officer detailed the neurodevelopmental pathway being trialled in north Manchester, a multi-agency approach to support young people awaiting diagnosis. Manchester's involvement in the Department for Education's (DfE) Change Programme was noted as a strength in developing the Experts at Hand model, which would provide training, advice, and direct intervention.

The committee was informed that the Manchester Ordinarily Available Provision document outlines the support that all young people should expect from an inclusion offer, without the need for an EHCP assessment. While EHCPs are still being issued, efforts are underway to strengthen SEND provision for earlier access. Interventions, including mentoring for Year 6 pupils transitioning to secondary school, have shown positive results and are planned for expansion. Ofsted inspections, particularly focusing on inclusion, will assess the quality of SEND support in schools. The Neurodiversity in Education programme covers various neurodivergent needs, and schools are encouraged to adapt practices to support pupils without requiring a formal diagnosis. A neurodevelopmental profiling tool is being trialled to help schools, young people, and families create tailored support plans.

The committee requested that next year's Annual SEND Report include a focus on transition, ongoing co-production work, individual child needs, and the progress of pilot projects.

Elective Home Education (EHE)

The committee reviewed a report examining the position, operation, and challenges of Elective Home Education (EHE) in Manchester, noting a sustained increase in the complexity of the EHE cohort. The report highlighted the legal right of parents to educate their children at home, provided the education is suitable. Manchester's EHE service was commended for its strong safeguarding oversight, multi-agency working, and links with SEND, Early Help, and the Virtual School.

Key points and themes from the discussion included:

• Awareness of new legislation: The importance of informing parents about the new registration requirements under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 was stressed.
• Reasons for EHE: Concerns were raised about the high proportion of cases where the reason for EHE was not specified, and the potential to learn from other local authorities.
• Drivers of EHE growth: The committee explored the extent to which the rise in EHE was due to personal choice versus unmet needs in mainstream education.
• Inclusion of children's and parents' views: The process for incorporating the views of children and parents into policy decisions was discussed.
• Social events for EHE children: The potential for home-educated children to miss out on social events was raised.
• Children with caring responsibilities: The committee noted the presence of children in EHE with caring responsibilities.
• Mentoring for EHE children: The availability of mentoring for children educated at home was discussed.

An apprentice who had been electively home-educated shared her positive experiences, highlighting the development of confidence and self-motivation, and her success in gaining GCSEs through The Manchester College. She also spoke about the wider home education community and her future plans.

The EHE Lead emphasised the importance of building positive relationships with families and addressing misinformation about the new legislation. She noted that many home-educating families worried about negative judgment and that positive experiences with the Council encouraged engagement. Manchester has a strong network of home educators organising activities, and free events are available at museums, with information shared via a newsletter. The service works with multi-agency partners, holds events, and shares information on health initiatives. Conversations are ongoing regionally about improving data collection on the reasons for EHE. The service works with parents in policy development, and routine assessments capture the child's and parents' voices. Reintegration support is offered to families wishing to return to mainstream education, and the EHE Lead contacts families and schools to resolve issues that may have led to the decision to home educate. Mentoring is available through the SAFE Task Force, and a Young Carer Champion supports children with caring responsibilities.

The Director of Education clarified that children electively home-educated are not eligible for Free School Meals, but the service agreed to look into signposting EHE families to information on healthy meals. The Executive Member for Early Years, Children and Young People highlighted the impact of the pandemic and the importance of ensuring children were safe, receiving an education, and wanted to be home-educated. The committee noted the report.

Re-establishment of the Ofsted Subgroup

The committee considered a report proposing the re-establishment of the Ofsted Subgroup for the municipal year 2026-2027. The subgroup's remit includes considering inspection outcomes and emerging themes for Manchester schools, daycare providers, children's centres, children's homes, and supported accommodation.

Decisions:

• The Ofsted Subgroup was re-established for the 2026-2027 municipal year, with agreed terms of reference and work programme.
• Councillor Richard Fletcher was appointed as Chair of the Ofsted Subgroup.
• Councillors Alex-Salik Imran, Jill Lovecy, Sherita Mandongwe, Councillor Wakefield, and Dr Zainab Bibi were appointed to the Subgroup.
• Councillor Jill Lovecy was proposed to chair the first meeting on 22 July 2026 due to Councillor Fletcher's unavailability.

Overview Report

The committee received the monthly Overview Report, which included the recommendations monitor, key decisions, and the committee's work programme. There were no outstanding recommendations from previous meetings. The report detailed key decisions being taken by the Council, including those related to the Manchester PlayZones Programme, provision of transport for the Schools Swimming Programme, supported accommodation for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, the delivery of Best Start Family Hubs, the Leaving Care Team Relocation Plan, the Schools Capital Maintenance Programme, and the provision of Independent Advocacy and Independent Visitor Services.

Decision:

• The committee noted the report and agreed the work programme.