Local SEND Reform Plans · 40 documents asked · 40 answered · 0 not stated · run 11 September 2026
How will this council measure whether its plan has worked, and what are its headline measures and targets?
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Ask for a surveyAlmost every council answers this the same way. They build a dashboard, pulling together demand, service delivery, quality and outcome data, reviewed monthly or quarterly by a partnership or governance board, and feeding into DfE returns. Common headline measures recur across nearly all plans: attendance and exclusions for children with SEND, EHCP timeliness (often the 20-week standard), proportion of children supported in mainstream settings, NEET rates, tribunal and complaint rates, and parent/carer confidence surveys.
Several councils stand out for the specificity of their targets. Bristol, Hounslow, Wigan and Wirral all give detailed year-by-year trajectories to 2028/29, covering mainstream inclusion rates, EHCP timeliness percentages and placement numbers. Somerset is unusual in tying success to a parent-survey scorecard, moving from 3/8 to 8/8 positive statements by 2028/29. Leeds and Brighton and Hove set precise year-on-year percentage targets for mediations, tribunals and attendance. Cornwall and Dorset both link targets to named boards and multi-year benefit-realisation frameworks. Kingston upon Thames and Richmond upon Thames stand out for linking targets closely to attainment and destination data rather than just process measures.
Many councils give genuinely detailed numbers: Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Shropshire, South Tyneside, Staffordshire and Worcestershire all quote specific baseline figures and future percentages for placements, timeliness or inclusion places. Bury and Norfolk are notable for admitting their targets are about stabilisation rather than dramatic improvement, given rising national demand.
A smaller group is vaguer. Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole, Coventry and Reading describe detailed dashboards but explicitly state no numerical targets are given. Slough says final targets await data validation. Solihull gives only one concrete figure, on specialist places, without wider success metrics.
Not stated: none — every council answered this question.
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The question was put to each document on its own, using up to six of its most relevant pages. Page numbers in the table link to the document itself.
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Every document's answer
Barnsley
Barnsley will track KPIs against defined trajectories, including improved attendance, reduced exclusions, and more children supported at SEN Support and in mainstream settings p71. Other headline measures include improved timeliness/accessibility of specialist support via the EAH model, better preparation for adulthood (more young people in education, employment or training), and increased parent/carer confidence and satisfaction with reduced complaints and tribunals p72. Qualitative feedback from families, schools and practitioners, thematic deep dives, peer challenge, and annual strategy review also inform whether delivery is on track (page 71, page 72).
Bath and North East Somerset
The council will track progress via BI dashboards and regular programme reporting against success measures covering inclusion, outcomes, confidence and finances p3. Headline measures include: decreasing EHCP suspensions, part-time/reduced timetables, and persistent/severe absence; reduced average journey times; improved GLD/RWM attainment and ONS4 wellbeing; more CYP in mainstream/reintegrated from AP; fewer EHCPs/specialist placements p4. Confidence measures include improved parent/CYP feedback, increased co-production involvement, and reduced complaints/mediations/tribunals p4. Financial measures include reduced AP/independent placement spend and increased mainstream SEND places p4.
Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole
The council uses an integrated performance framework combining a monthly multi-agency SEND & AP scorecard, service-level dashboards, and quarterly DfE data returns (page 68, page 69). Headline measures include EHCP requests/referrals, demand by need type, assessment/review timeliness, specialist support activity (SaLT/OT/EP), placement stability, attendance, exclusions/unauthorised absence, and post-16 participation/NEET p68. Financial value-for-money is tracked via High Needs Block position, placement mix and unit costs p69. No specific numerical targets are stated in these excerpts.
Brighton and Hove
The council will track five headline measures aligned to the SEND Reform data template, including SEND attendance p6. Targets include raising attendance from 88.5% (national 93.37%) p5, reducing persistent absence from 40.5% (EHCP) and 33.1% (SEN Support), and creating 23 Inclusion Intervention Spaces by 2029 p5. Progress is measured against a March 2026 baseline, using EHC needs assessment requests (688 baseline) and EHCP growth (3,241 baseline), via a centralised dashboard and quarterly KPI review by the Partnership Board p32.
Bristol
Bristol will track progress via its SEND & AP Development Plan, SEND data dashboard, and a new Inclusion dashboard, reviewed monthly by the SEND&AP Delivery Board p42. Headline targets for 2028/29 include: Ofsted inclusion grades "strong or exceptional" rising from 15.4% to 37.9% p8; reducing INMSS placements from 348 to 148; increasing EHCP pupils in mainstream/resource bases from 90% to 93%; cutting NEET rates from 15.14% to 13.54%; and raising GLD achievement from 25.1% to 28.1% p8.
Bromley
Bromley will track progress via a SEND Dashboard and agreed success measures, alongside a maturity assessment moving from "developing to maturing practice" over three years p24. Headline measures include increased mainstream inclusion, reduced out-of-borough placements, improved attendance/exclusions p5, more children supported without EHCPs, reduced waiting times p5, and reduced tribunal rates "from 2% to 1%" p5. EAH success also focuses on numbers of mainstream settings supported and children avoiding specialist assessment p88.
Bury
Bury will track lead indicators including requests for EHC needs assessment, mediation requests per 100 EHCNA requests, proportion of mediations resulting in tribunal, new EHCPs issued, persistent absence, attendance, suspensions, permanent exclusions, and KS2 attainment for children with SEND p25. No specific numeric targets are given; instead they expect a "progressive moderation" in assessment requests and EHCPs issued, though overall EHCP numbers and costs will keep rising, with real impact realised only within six years after the plan period p25. Progress is monitored via KPI dashboards reviewed bi-monthly by the SEND Improvement and Assurance Board p45.
Cambridgeshire
The council will use revised KPIs tracked via dashboards, including an EHCP EYES system p72. Headline targets: EHCPs completed within 20 weeks rising to 20% by end 2026 and 46% by end 2027 p72; mainstream EHCP placements rising from 3,392 (2025) to 4,528 by 2029; special school places rising to 2,405; tribunal appeals projected to reach 58 by 2028/29 p72. Success will also be judged holistically through a shared outcomes framework covering wellbeing, parental confidence, and trust, not just process compliance (page 44, page 72).
Cornwall
Cornwall will track progress via the SEND, Inclusion and Alternative Provision Board using shared dashboards, a benefits realisation framework, and stakeholder feedback p53. Six system goals with KPIs cover earlier identification, local provision, alternative provision reintegration, post-16 outcomes, financial sustainability, and family confidence p7. Headline targets include EHCP growth slowing to 8% by 2028/29 (from a 6,716 baseline), Inclusion Base capacity rising from 418 to 753 places by 2029, and Experts at Hand supporting 2,716 children p30. Tribunal rate is already 2.3% versus 3.2% nationally p47.
Coventry
Coventry will track progress via a shared local area dashboard combining Council and health data across education, health and care p26. Headline indicators include parent and CYP confidence, the proportion of CYP educated locally, and attendance/attainment for CYP with EHC plans p15. Leading indicators cover Experts at Hand reach, EHC needs assessment requests, reduced timetables/EOTAS volume, and therapy delivery, while outcome indicators include attendance, exclusions, placement stability and confidence measures p26. No specific numeric targets are stated.
Cumberland
Cumberland will track progress via a single integrated multi-agency dashboard covering education, health and care data, with weekly EHC timeliness tracking (e.g. 6-week advice, 20-week compliance), monthly SMT reviews, half-termly Partnership Board reporting, and quarterly DfE statutory returns p44. Headline measures include demand (EHCP requests, waiting times), service delivery (therapy deployment, placements created), quality (audits, parental satisfaction), and outcomes (attendance, exclusions, participation) p44. Broader targets include improved attendance, reduced exclusions, more need met at SEN Support, stabilised EHCP growth, reduced high-cost placements, and improved parent/carer confidence p8.
Dorset
Dorset will track progress via a central SEND dashboard covering demand, service delivery, quality and outcomes, reviewed weekly operationally and monthly through Programme Board and Partnership governance p72. Headline targets include EHCNA rates stabilising from 632 to 616 in Year 1, EHCP increase rates slowing to 3% (Year 2) and 2% (Year 3), independent special placements reducing from 523 to 508 (Year 1) and to 463 by Year 3, KS4 Attainment 8 for CYP with EHCPs rising from 15 to 16, and more children with SEN but no EHCP supported by key practitioners, rising to 4,638 by Year 3 p45. Value-for-money indicators include Expertise Offer spend versus EHCNA/EHE/EBSA reduction and cost variance between local and independent placements p23.
Durham
Durham will monitor progress via an integrated SEND dashboard tracking demand, service delivery, quality and outcomes, reviewed at operational, Delivery Group and Partnership Board levels p26. Headline indicators include attendance, exclusions, NEET rates, tribunal escalation, and numbers supported at SEN Support p3. A key target is that by Year 3 at least 80% of parent carers report confidence in the system p6. Other measures include stabilising and reducing EHCP growth, reduced reliance on out-of-area provision, and improved value for money p6.
East Sussex
The council will track progress via a central SEND dashboard covering EHCP applications and timeliness, tribunal activity, and specialist placements, supplemented by ICB partner data p30. Performance is reviewed monthly by the SEND Strategy and Reforms Implementation Group, with quarterly reports escalated to Full Council and published p30. Quarterly data returns on selected key metrics, including Attendance, Exclusions and Unauthorised absence, are submitted to the DfE p31. A headline success measure is an "increase in the number of places in specialist bases across mainstream primary and secondary schools" p18.
Hackney
Hackney will monitor progress via a system-wide Outcomes Dashboard combining DfE quarterly returns, service-level data, and qualitative feedback/surveys, reviewed by the SEND Reform Governance Board, Partnership Board and Executive Board p70. School-level SMAP dashboards track caseloads, attendance, suspensions and transitions, while an Experts at Hand Impact Dashboard tracks EHCP conversion p71. Headline targets include a 10% annual decrease in suspensions/exclusions for children with SEN and a 20% reduction in NEET rates by 2029, while sustaining attainment p7.
Harrow
Harrow will track progress via a Strategic Success Measures framework and Leading Indicators, reported to the SEND and AP Partnership Board p77. Headline targets by 2028/29 include: SEN Support suspensions down to 8.4% and EHCP suspensions to 7.8% p78; EHC needs assessment requests rising to 794 but moderated; EHCP timeliness ≥90%; children educated locally rising to 80%; High Needs Block spend reaching £79.7m; weighted average EHCP cost falling to £20.65k p25. Leading indicators include SEN Support prevalence, OAIP settings, attendance, and SENDIASS satisfaction p79.
Hertfordshire
Success is tracked via a 3-year roadmap with baselines and target metrics, evolving from workforce capability/confidence, to strengthened inclusion, to reduced escalation p11. Headline measures include recruiting/retaining specialist Experts at Hand staff, positive setting/family feedback, increasing whole-setting delivery time, decreasing repeat requests, and equitable support distribution p11. A specific target is delivering 650 additional inclusion base places by 28/29 p11. Yearly workstreams also track metrics like FIF applications and approval rates p21.
Hounslow
Hounslow will monitor progress via a central SEND and Inclusion Dashboard covering demand, service delivery, quality/experience, and outcomes, reviewed quarterly by governance bodies including the Inclusion Board p39. Headline targets by 2028/29 include: EHC plans in mainstream settings rising from 42.5% to 52% p17; EHCPs issued within 20 weeks up from 58% to 90% p17; Attainment 8 gap narrowing from -12.8 to -6.4 p17; NEET numbers falling from 129 to 117 p17; Specialist Bases increasing from 19 to 34 p18; and 80% family confidence by 2029 p18.
Isle of Wight
The council will track progress via a quarterly performance dashboard aligned to the SEND Partnership Board's workstreams, live by Q3 2026/27 p132, plus bi-monthly workstream reports and qualitative feedback from children, young people and parent carers p132. Headline targets include reducing EHCP annual growth from 12% to ≤7% p5, with EHCNA baselines set at 383 easing to ≤360 by Q3 and ≤345 by Q4 p55, alongside reduced elective home education, EOTAS/independent placements, exclusions, complaints/tribunals, and NEET rates p5.
Kingston upon Thames
The council will track outcomes, parental confidence, and value for money against measurable goals p5. Headline targets include increasing sustained Key Stage 4 destinations for SEND pupils to 95% p5, raising Good Level of Development scores (currently 26%, targeting 27-29% over three years) p4, improving SEN attendance in maintained schools to 92-94% p4, and raising CYP feeling their voice was valued to 80-90% p4. Progress is monitored via quality assurance, dashboards, and risk mitigation tracking p54.
Leeds
Leeds will judge success through improved EHCP timeliness and quality, annual reviews brought in line with the national average, and mediations/tribunals kept to a "<15% increase year on year" versus the current ">30% increase" p6. It also targets a sustained NEET reduction against the 2025/26 baseline, fewer children moving to special schools at transition points, and better mainstream inclusion p6. Family voice will be tracked via a new PCF annual survey launching 22 June 2026 p6.
Norfolk
Norfolk will track progress via LA dashboards, termly zone/trust data packs, and KPIs reviewed by LIP and CYPSA, complemented by quarterly reporting to Government p71. Five headline success measures anchor oversight: increased proportion of CYP on mainstream school rolls (including Specialist Resource Bases), reduced NEET rates for post-16, reduced requests for special school provision, reduced persistent/severe absence, and increased experts per child p8. Targets aim for stabilisation over three years rather than dramatic gains, given worsening national trends p32.
North Northamptonshire
The council will use a shared SEND performance dashboard tracking demand, service delivery, quality/experience and outcomes, reviewed weekly, monthly and quarterly p52. Three system goals are measured: improved outcomes, increased confidence, and financial sustainability p30. Headline success measures include slowing/plateauing EHCP growth, reduced independent placement spend, increased needs met in mainstream settings, improved parental confidence, stable EHCP rates, reduced NEET rates, and sustained financial stability within the High Needs Block p38.
Nottingham
The council will track EHCP requests for special/independent placements at phase transfer, targeting reductions from 68% (special school) and 3.6% (independent) in 2026-27 to 63% and 3.2% by 2028-29, with combined special-and-independent requests falling from 71.6% to 66.2% p51. Progress will be monitored via a SEND Reform dashboard, an ICB "Vital Signs" dashboard combining education, health and care data, and KPIs reported to a SEND Reform Steering Group, alongside parent/carer and youth feedback p76.
Oxfordshire
The council will track five core inclusion measures (IM1–IM5), covering more inclusive mainstream settings, improved confidence, meeting needs locally and earlier, and using CYP/family views (page 3, page 21), each underpinned by detailed KPIs with targets and trajectories p21. Progress is monitored via monthly thematic-group reporting, a Power BI SEND dashboard, quality assurance audits, and feedback mechanisms, escalated through the SEND reform delivery group and SEND Executive p27. Quarterly data returns go to DfE, including attendance and exclusions data p27. Financial sustainability, addressing a £136.6 million DSG deficit, is also a central success measure p3.
Reading
The council will use integrated SEND dashboards (reviewed weekly) and KPIs reviewed monthly by the SEND Strategy Board p51. It tracks four domains: demand (EHC needs assessment requests, EHCP/SEN Support growth), service delivery (EAH/MDT deployment, inclusion places created, assessment timeliness), service quality (parental satisfaction, complaints, tribunal trends, audits), and outcomes (attendance, exclusions, NEET rates, mainstream vs specialist placement) p49. No specific numeric targets are stated.
Richmond upon Thames
The council tracks progress via headline goals with linked measures: SEND pupils' sustained destinations after Key Stage 4 and attainment (GLD, phonics, KS2, Attainment 8) p5; EHCNA-to-EHCP conversion rates and SEND Support versus EHCP numbers p5; a Parent Carer Forum-led quality assurance deep-dive tracking family journeys p5; and SEAH reach, starting at 0 in 2026 p5. It also sets quarterly workstream target trajectories, e.g. 100% of schools signed to the Universal Offer and 100% data categories agreed for School Inclusion Dashboards (page 39, page 36), with a five-year goal of a balanced High Needs Block p21.
Rochdale
Rochdale will track progress via Power BI/SEND dashboards, monthly operational meetings and quarterly governance reporting, with a PMO using milestone trackers and RAG-rated reports (page 30, page 42). Goal 1 measures include attendance, exclusions, percentage of CYP with SEND in mainstream, GLD/attainment/NEET rates p30. Goal 2 uses parent/carer satisfaction surveys, BeeWell wellbeing outcomes, and EHCP timeliness/tribunals/complaints (page 43, page 44). Goal 3 tracks EHCP rates, placement spend, High Needs Block deficit, and cost per pupil p44. Year 1 targets include engaging 50+ CYP/100+ parents by Q4 p30.
Shropshire
Shropshire will use a partnership dashboard combining quantitative data, quality assurance, and lived experience, reviewed monthly operationally and quarterly through governance p34. Headline metrics include: EHCP timeliness rising "from 20% to over 90% by end of 2028/29"; SLCN/ND waiting times meeting agreed targets; SEND attendance improving to match statistical neighbours; INMSS placements stabilising at no more than 9% of the EHCP cohort; EAHO reach increasing by at least 10% annually for three years; and parent carer/CYP satisfaction measures established in year 1, improving annually p34.
Slough
Slough will use quarterly SIAB assurance reports, monthly Operations Delivery Group oversight, and a minimum viable SEND dashboard tracking five success measures: earlier support/reduced avoidable escalation, inclusion and local provision, health contribution, family confidence/co-production, and financial oversight/value for money (page 27, page 59). Headline metrics include EHCP growth (baseline 2,624 in 2025, projected 2,339 mainstream placements by 2029), EHCNA requests (460 to 770), and EHCNAs resulting in EHCPs (520 to 870), assuming 15% annual growth p31. Final numerical targets await data validation p31.
Solihull
The plan states it will include "a detailed roadmap, delivery plan and success measures" p1, and monitoring will use SEND dashboards, forecasting tools and outcome tracking, combining qualitative feedback from children, young people and families with quantitative measures p5. Specific numeric targets given include creating 200 specialist base places and support bases in 14 secondary and 10 primary schools plus Solihull College by 2029 p3. No further headline success metrics are detailed in these excerpts.
Somerset
Somerset will use a data-led framework with dashboards, KPIs and a maturity framework reviewed at least annually, next by March 2027, tracking demand, service delivery, quality/outcomes and preparation for adulthood p51. Lived experience feeds in via surveys and co-production p51. Headline targets include raising "has improved" parent carer survey statements from 3/8 to 8/8 by 2028/29, achieving 100% "You Said, We Did" responsiveness, and cutting complaints/tribunals by 10%, 20%, 30% year-on-year from a 2025/26 baseline of 673 complaints and 284 tribunals p44.
South Gloucestershire
The council will monitor progress using demand, service delivery and outcome measures (e.g. EHCP timeliness, waiting times, attendance, exclusions, NEET rates), benchmarked against national/regional data, tracked via quarterly performance reports and monthly workstream meetings p134. An annual Local Partnership Maturity Assessment reviews co-production and system leadership p134. Headline targets include matching or beating national attendance/exclusion rates within three years, and increasing mainstream specialist places to 230 (2027), 318 (2028) and 333 (2029) p71.
South Tyneside
The council will track progress via a shared SEND dashboard and performance pack, reviewed monthly by the SEND Operational Group and reported to the SEND Strategic Board, combining demand, service delivery, quality and outcomes data with parent/carer and SENDIASS feedback p52. Headline targets (2024/25 to 2027/28) include raising attendance of pupils with SEND to 91.0% (from 89.2–89.3%), cutting severe absence to 3.5%, reducing suspensions and permanent exclusions, and cutting reduced-timetable duration to ≤12 weeks p11.
Staffordshire
The council will track quarterly project milestones, risks and status updates, reported to the SEND & Inclusion Partnership Group and SEND Strategic Effectiveness Board, alongside an Inclusion dashboard and annual review of the Self Evaluation Framework and Maturity Matrix (page 94, page 95). Success measures split into Deliverables/Outputs and Impact/Outcomes p11. Headline targets include publishing the Staffordshire Index for Inclusion and Universal Offer by 31 March 2027 p11, 100% settings completing self-assessment by 31 March 2029 p14, and increasing EHCP pupils in mainstream settings from 33% to 37% by 31 March 2029 p14.
Stoke-on-Trent
The council will use a Local Area SEND and Inclusion Dashboard, PowerBI statutory dashboards, and monthly financial reporting through the High Needs Board, alongside "6 key success metrics" p34. It will track EHCP requests, conversion rates, timeliness, tribunal activity, attendance, exclusions, and placement stability, plus feedback via "you said, together we did" loops p34. Headline targets include raising the proportion of CYP with EHCPs in mainstream above the national average, reducing EHCNA requests, decreasing independent placements, and improving unit cost/deficit trajectory, alongside reducing its £4.2m forecast deficit further p5.
Wigan
Wigan will track a scorecard of KPIs (demand, service delivery, quality, outcomes) monitored monthly by the SEND and AP Strategy and Performance Group, with quarterly reports to the Partnership Board p53. Headline targets by 2029 include EHC Plans issued within 20 weeks rising to 78% (including exceptions), assessments over 20 weeks falling to 0, initial assessment refusals dropping to 25.0%, and reduced exits to other arrangements p37. Other targets include 84% of 2-year-olds in funded early education by 2027 and 87.5% secondary attendance p40.
Wirral
Wirral tracks success against baselines (2026) with 2029 targets across five areas: needs met earlier/locally, improved outcomes, financial sustainability, trusted partnership, and stakeholder confidence p54. Headline targets include capping EHCP-attending special school numbers growth at 10% (1900→2000), reducing EHCP year-on-year growth from 17% to 13% (7750→11,680), increasing Specialist Bases from 27 to 36, reaching 100% secondary Inclusion Base coverage, 10% attainment/exclusion improvements, and a 30%+ reduction in post-16 out-of-Borough placement costs p54.
Wolverhampton
The council will track progress through performance dashboards covering attendance, exclusions, escalation routes, placement patterns, timeliness of support and lived-experience feedback, alongside quarterly DfE data returns and Verto-based milestone tracking p25. Headline measures include improved attendance and reduced exclusions for SEND pupils, reduced escalation to statutory assessment, improved post-16 outcomes, stabilised specialist/independent placement demand, better therapy timeliness, stronger parental confidence, and improved financial trajectories, with narrowing outcome gaps and financial sustainability targeted by 2029 p3.
Worcestershire
The council will use a single SEND reform reporting framework with a partnership dashboard (operational, programme, strategic layers) and monthly SEND Effectiveness Report, plus quarterly DfE reporting (page 38, page 39). Core KPIs include demand and escalation, EHCP timeliness, access to support, Experts at Hand deployment/reach, attendance, suspensions and exclusions, placement patterns, parental confidence, quality assurance findings, and financial sustainability, each with an owner, baseline and escalation route p38. Success over three years reflects improved lived experience, confidence, reduced delay/escalation, and stronger co-production p4.
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