Dear colleagues

Welcome back! I hope you had a restful summer.

Over the holidays, an important milestone was reached: on 15 August, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) published the outcome of the SEND inspection of Birmingham’s Local Area Partnership.

Birmingham received the outcome: The local area partnership’s arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership must work jointly to make improvements.

This means inspectors saw that improvements are happening, but there is still more to do.

This is a significant shift from the last full inspection in 2021, which identified widespread and systemic issues. Inspectors now recognise that Birmingham has taken meaningful steps forward, with stronger foundations for long-term change beginning to make a difference.

This progress is down to a huge collective effort. I, and the leadership team want to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone across the local area partnership and a special thank you to children, families/carers, and the Parent Carer Forum. Whether you supported the inspection directly with the inspectors, worked behind the scenes to provide vital information, your dedication and teamwork made a real difference and are deeply appreciated.

The full report is available on the Local Offer Ofsted/CQC Area SEND Inspection Outcome - Local Offer Birmingham

Sue Harrison and I will host a schools webinar on Thursday 18 September at 11am to walk through the findings, highlight the key headlines and answer your questions. You can join the session using the following link: Reflections on our SEND Local Area Inspection and the Year Ahead - 18 September 2025 11:00-12:00.

We hope you can join us but if not, we’ll share a recording afterwards.

As you know we work in partnership with the Parent Carer Forum (PCF) who have been working closely with Solihull PCF and together have now published a book called Supporting Your Neurodivergent Child. It has been written by parents, for parents. The book brings together real-life experiences, tips, and information from families and people who have stood in similar places. Bringing together information from sources like the NHS, national charities and IPSEA, this helpful source of information provides a wealth of information on supporting a neurodivergent child.  Printed copies are being circulated to schools and many other places. You can also see the digital copy on our local offer web page. 

Thank you once again for your commitment and hard work. Together, we are moving Birmingham’s SEND services in the right direction.

With my very best wishes

Helen

Helen Ellis
Director of SEND and Inclusion

Changes to SEND Advisory Service

Over the past 12 months, we’ve introduced several changes in how we work with schools and settings to strengthen SEND provision and practice. These include:

• Protected strategic hours from the Communication and Autism Team (CAT) and Pupil and School Support (PSS)
• A new SENCo induction offer
• A range of free training opportunities

We hope these developments have been helpful in supporting your work.

As part of Birmingham’s ongoing SEND improvement journey, our teams have been undergoing a service redesign. We’re pleased to share the following updates, effective from 1st September 2025:

• Pupil and School Support (PSS) is now called Language, Learning and Strategic Support (LLaSS), reflecting the team’s evolving SEND focus. The team is led by Terri Cawser.
• The Communication and Autism Team (CAT), led by Sarah Scarr, has welcomed Jodie Jones as Strategic Autism Lead. Jodie brings additional leadership capacity and will focus particularly on enhancing support for parents across the Local Area Partnership.
• The Home Bridging Team (HBT), led by Kate Squires, now operates as a distinct team within the newly named Language, Learning and Strategic Support (LLaSS).
• The Sensory Support and Physical Difficulties team (SSPD) has been renamed Sensory & Physical Support (SPS). It is now led by Amanda Wiser, an experienced SEND leader who has joined us this term from a neighbouring Local Authority.

These three teams now form part of the newly streamlined SEND Advisory & Inclusion Service (SAIS), under the leadership of Heather Wood.

We remain committed to working closely with schools and settings to develop and refine our offer. We hope this refreshed structure makes it easier for all partners to understand and access the support available through the SEND Advisory & Inclusion Service.

Celebrating Excellence: ‘Outside the Box’ shortlisted for NASEN’s Co-Production Initiative of the Year Award

We are delighted to share that Birmingham’s SEND team and King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls has been officially shortlisted for the Co-Production Initiative of the Year Award by NASEN (the National Association for Special Educational Needs) with their student-led project called ‘Outside the Box’ which has become the perfect platform for exploring neurodiverse conditions, encouraging inclusion, and promoting positive mental health. 

The NASEN Awards celebrate individuals and organisations whose work has made a real difference in the field of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities). To be shortlisted is no small feat, it is a powerful acknowledgement of the commitment to tackle important subjects such as masking – where people with neurodiverse conditions feel the need to mask their symptoms to blend in. They are a community of people who want change and want to get rid of any stigma around this issue.

Councillor Mick Brown, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families said, “The Outside the Box initiative is a beacon of innovative, inclusive education that significantly enhances the lives of young people with SEND and I am delighted that it is receiving this national recognition in being shortlisted for an award.”

The winners will be announced at the prestigious awards ceremony in Birmingham on 3 October 2025.

For more information about ‘Outside the Box’ please visit Birmingham’s SEND Local Offer website - Engagement - Local Offer Birmingham

For more information about the award, please visit nasen Awards | Nasen