Project: Mayor of London Post-16 SEND Review

Client: The Greater London Authority (GLA)

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In March 2019 the Greater London Authority released our London Post-16 SEND Review, jointly funded by the Mayor of London and the Department for Education (DfE). The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, shared the report with the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds.

Download the report

The report summarises the outcomes of a London-wide review to identify the post-16 SEND education supply gap in London. The research involves an analysis of demand and supply data, including from the National Pupil Database, a review of EHCPs and stakeholder interviews. The report provides recommendations for addressing the gap. It also suggests a sustainable methodology for analysing projected demand and producing an evidence-led approach to post-16 SEND commissioning. The fieldwork was carried out between January and July 2018.

We worked closely with South Thames Colleges Group, Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust, London Councils and the Association of Colleges.

Key findings

  • Post-16 SEND demand is projected to rise. However, there is already a significant gap between projected demand and existing supply, particularly in post-19 provision.
  • More than twice as many young people in London with EHCPs are not in education or training compared with those without SEND
  • There is wide variation between provision and approaches to completing Education, Health and Care Plans in local authorities, which makes coordinating provision challenging
  • Commissioners lack a robust evidence base to make planning decisions

Key Recommendations

  • More funding to boost the supply of SEND skills provision, including assisting mainstream providers to support more young people with special educational needs and disabilities
  • Developing a London-wide register of providers for commissioners and other stakeholders, including information on the destinations of their young people with SEND in order to better understand the quality of provision across the city
  • Improving the evidence base and data-sharing between commissioners and providers