In a meeting of the Children and Young People Policy Development Committee, councillors discussed ways to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in mainstream education, and agreed to include a report on school place planning at their next meeting. Councillors also received an update on the SEND inspection priority action plan, and discussed the challenges of increasing demand for SEND services amid a backdrop of falling school rolls and a national funding crisis.

SEND in Mainstream Education

Councillors received a presentation on SEND in mainstream education, which focused on 'ordinarily available provision' (OAP) - the support and adaptations that schools are expected to provide for children with additional needs.

Angela Wellings, Director of SEND and Inclusion, explained that the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice set out the requirements for supporting children with SEND. She said that the government expects the majority of children, including those with additional needs, to have their needs met in mainstream schools wherever possible.

Ms Wellings told the committee that there had been a significant increase in requests for statutory assessments¹, partly due to a rise in recognised diagnoses such as autism and ADHD², and also due to rising parental expectations. She said that parents often believe that an education, health and care plan (EHCP)³ is the only way to ensure their child receives the support they need.

Ms Wellings outlined the 'graduated approach' to supporting children with SEND, which involves four stages: assess, plan, do, and review. She explained that schools receive delegated funding to support children with SEND, including an age-weighted pupil unit and a notional budget of £6,000 per pupil. She added that schools are expected to use this funding, along with the graduated approach, before requesting additional support from the local authority.

Ms Wellings presented data showing the percentage of pupils with EHCPs and those on SEND support in Redbridge. She noted that both sets of numbers have increased significantly since 2017. She also highlighted the national debt on the high needs block⁴, which stands at £6 billion. Ms Wellings stated that Redbridge's cumulative deficit was £3.9 million.

Councillor Alex Holmes, Chair of the Committee, asked whether the increase in SEND identification was due to more children having those needs, better diagnosis, or a combination of both. Ms Wellings responded that it was likely a combination of factors, including developmental delays due to lack of social interaction during the pandemic, and a rise in parents seeking diagnoses for their children.

Ms Wellings also presented data on the primary needs of children on SEND support in primary and secondary schools. She noted that social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs are on the rise, both locally and nationally.

Ms Wellings said that the council plans to produce updated guidance for the local area on ordinarily available provision, in co-production with stakeholders including children, young people, and their families.

Alison Moyes-Dixon, Interim Director of Education, discussed the importance of adaptive teaching practices in mainstream classrooms. She said that teachers should structure lessons to enable all learners to feel included and supported, rather than creating separate lesson plans for children with SEND. She also emphasised that SEND is the responsibility of all teachers, not just teaching assistants.

Councillor Saiqa Qayum Hussain asked how changes to SEND provision would be felt by a year seven student in a mainstream setting, given that teaching assistant support was being reduced and there was a lack of funding for assistive technology. Ms Moyes-Dixon responded that the focus should be on embedding adaptive practice within school cultures, so that inclusive teaching becomes part and parcel of what teachers do.

Councillor Shah Ali asked about the review process for children with SEND, and whether the committee could receive a report on progress against the recommendations of the SEND inspection. Ms Wellings said that a paper setting out the background and progress at October would soon be published, and that the committee could consider how it had done since October sometime in the spring.

Councillor Sadiq Yakub Kothia asked about the possibility of children with SEND being missed if they are home-schooled. Ms Wellings responded that while parents have the right to home-educate their children, the local authority has a responsibility to ensure that the education provided is suitable.

Councillor Joel Anthony Herga raised the issue of delayed payments to primary schools for SEN or EHCP provisions. Ms Wellings responded that a new high needs accountant, Sadiq Yakub Kothia, had been appointed and was working through a backlog of cases. She encouraged councillors to contact Sadiq Yakub Kothia directly if they were aware of any severe delays.

SEND Inspection Priority Action Plan

Councillor Alex Holmes asked for an update on the SEND inspection priority action plan. Ms Wellings reported that the plan had been approved by the Department for Education (DFE) and is available on the council website, along with an easy-read version. She added that the plan is being translated into six or seven of the top languages spoken in Redbridge.

Ms Wellings said that an independently chaired SEND implementation board has been set up to hold partners to account, and that the council has committed £1.7 million over three years, with an expected contribution of at least £500,000 from health partners. The DFE has also awarded the council £200,000 in grant funding to help improve SEND services.

Ms Wellings added that the priority action plan would be presented to cabinet on 11 December, and that a further report on progress would be submitted to cabinet before March. She said that there would be a stocktake meeting with the DFE in January, followed by a monitoring inspection within 18 months and a full inspection within three years.

Councillor Pushpita Gupta asked about a case where a child was waiting over two years for an EHCP. Ms Wellings expressed shock and offered to investigate the matter further. She outlined the process for applying for an EHCP, which should take no more than 20 weeks.

Councillor Martin Sachs asked what councillors could do to help improve SEND provision in the borough. Ms Wellings responded that councillors should continue to hold the council to account, scrutinise SEND services, and raise any concerns from their constituents.

Councillor Alex Holmes asked about the potential limit to the increasing number of children being identified with SEND. Ms Wellings responded that she did not know, but that the council needs to address the needs of all children coming through the system. She also noted the falling birth rate in Redbridge and the need to ensure sufficient school places are available in the right areas.

School Place Planning

Councillor Alex Holmes requested a report on school place planning at the next meeting, alongside the planned discussion on SEND out of mainstream education. He noted that some areas of the borough have declining school rolls, while others still have issues with children being unable to find a place in a local school. He also mentioned the new school being constructed in coordination with Hatton School.

The committee agreed to include a report on school place planning on the agenda for the next meeting on 15 January 2026.

Other Business

• The committee approved the minutes of the previous meeting on 15 September 2025.
• The Chair, Councillor Alex Holmes, provided a verbal update from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 10 November 2025, where they discussed the Budgetary Control Report, Quarter 2, the 2025-2026 Treasury Management Strategy Mid-Year Review, and the Budget Strategy for 2026-27.
• The next meeting was scheduled for 15 January 2026, to include a site visit to Park School for Girls, the site of a new special school.