Inspectors from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission will spend next week at County Hall in Maidstone assessing how well education, health, and care services support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities across Kent, including Folkestone. The joint Local Area SEND Inspection begins with preparatory work and runs from Monday 6 July to Friday 10 July 2026, with families being urged to share their honest experiences.
An online survey hosted on SmartSurvey opened on 22 June and closed at 9am on 30 June, giving parents and carers a chance to tell inspectors what is working well and what could be improved. The inspection team will also speak directly to council representatives, health services, schools, parents, children, and carers to build a full picture of SEND support across the county.
Kent County Council spends more than £300 million a year on SEND provision, and the inspection comes with significant political weight. Reform UK took control of the authority last year, and councillor Beverley Fordham, cabinet member for education and skills, has said she wants inspectors to receive an honest picture of what is working well. The council has previously highlighted efforts to cut waiting times for Education, Health and Care Plans and to invest in the SEND workforce. A new Experts At Hand offer was launched in April 2026 to strengthen early support for children with SEND in mainstream schools.
The last inspection, in September 2022, found insufficient progress in some areas and identified nine concerns including poor standards and processes and weak governance. A formal improvement notice was served in March 2023 and remained in place until August 2024, when Children’s Minister Janet Daby lifted it after acknowledging considerable progress had been made. The final report from this inspection is expected later in 2026, and its findings will shape how services for some of Kent’s most vulnerable children are delivered in the years ahead.
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