Tag Archives: SEND

‘Strong and stable’? Henderson is third to leave department

Posted on July 24, 2020 by

It was 2.43pm when the publish button was pressed yesterday at Inside Croydon Towers for our exclusive report of the imminent departure from the council of Rob Henderson, executive director of children, families and education. Two hours later, the council … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Jo Negrini, Robert Henderson, SEND, Youth Services | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

SEND is ‘system in crisis’ according to Ombudsman report

Posted on October 14, 2019 by

Children with SEND – special educational needs and disabilities – are increasingly being failed by the system designed to support them. That’s according to no less an authority than the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. In its latest report … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Services, Education, Health, SEND, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Dombey rules out new SEND school offering 112 extra places

Posted on August 20, 2019 by

Sutton Council’s plans to build a special school on playing fields at Sheen Way would see them break their own stated policy of protecting green open spaces and playing fields, while avoiding building a larger SEND school at Rose Hill, … Continue reading →

Posted in Nick Mattey, Parking, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Parents group want Sutton’s head of SEND to be sacked

Posted on August 8, 2019 by

A parents campaign group has backed a call for the sacking of Sutton Council’s head of SEND, Councillor Jenny Batt. The parents issued a statement this morning in which they said that they have found Batt’s “complete failure to engage … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Jenny Batt, Marian James, SEND, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sutton Council sacks Cognus MD over their SEND shambles

Posted on August 5, 2019 by

Our Sutton investigations editor, CARL SHILTON, on an inevitable development in the council’s struggles over its special educational needs services Tracey Burley has been sacked as the managing director of Cognus, the Sutton Council spin-off company which is responsible for … Continue reading →

Posted in Marian James, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Council’s sorry performance after Ombudsman’s dozen rulings

Posted on July 29, 2019 by

One reason that rulings by the Local Government Ombudsman against local authorities, such as Croydon, attract so little attention is that the Ombudsman’s office never insists that the offending councils should publish the findings in full on their own website. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alisa Flemming, Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Robert Henderson, Schools, SEND | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sutton’s Bailey moves over Cognus as SEND pressure mounts

Posted on July 22, 2019 by

A crisis over provision of SEND services has forced the council’s chief exec to take urgent action, appointing a director to the company in charge Sutton stages a full council meeting tonight at which the borough’s provision of services for … Continue reading →

Posted in Helen Bailey, Marian James, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Call for resignations over ‘devastation’ to SEND children

Posted on July 2, 2019 by

EXCLUSIVE: One of Sutton’s senior councillors is under pressure over continuing failures to provide legally required services for hundreds of vulnerable youngsters. CARL SHILTON reports It is becoming increasingly apparent that Marian James, one of Sutton Council leader Ruth Dombey’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Community associations, Education, Health, Jenny Batt, Marian James, Ruth Dombey, SEND, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scully goes in to Batt at PMQs for Sutton’s SEND families

Posted on June 20, 2019 by

Sutton’s failing SEND service looks set to get an early return visit from the inspectors of Ofsted, this time accompanied by officials from the Care Quality Commission. At least, that’s what Theresa Mayhem, the lame duck Prime Minister, indicated yesterday … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Paul Scully MP, Ruth Dombey, Schools, SEND, Sutton Council | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Council tries to ‘hoodwink’ families to opt out of SEND services

Posted on June 18, 2019 by

Croydon Council is trying to save £100,000 from its SEND budget for every teenager currently receiving help from the local authority, under services which it is supposed to provide by law. Youngsters with SEND – special education needs or disability … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Services, Croydon Council, Education, Schools, SEND | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment