Ofsted annual report: education and social care serving most children well, but system pressures bite for most disadvantaged

Most children are well-served by the education sector and, in social care, life-changing work is being done for children and young people every day.

• Many reasons to be positive about future of education and children's social care, but huge challenges remain.

• Education and care providers struggling to recruit and retain skilled staff, which impacts on children's learning and well-being.

• School absence rate remains higher than before the pandemic and more children experiencing unorthodox patterns of education.

• SEND system is under huge strain as number of children with an identified need continues to grow.

Most children are well-served by the education sector and, in social care, life-changing work is being done for children and young people every day. However, education and social care professionals are working hard under immense pressure. And where systems are under strain, it is vulnerable and disadvantaged children who are most affected. 

Workforce challenges mean there are often not enough qualified staff in classrooms, nurseries, colleges or care settings. The SEND system is struggling as demand for services continues to rise. In schools, attendance issues have deepened and learning has become disjointed for too many children. The number of children in care continues to rise, but there is a shortage of foster carers and not enough children's homes in the right places.   

Published today, these are among the findings of the first Ofsted annual report from Sir Martyn Oliver, who began his 5-year term as His Majesty's Chief Inspector in January. The report summarises Sir Martyn's observations during his first 12 months in post and reflects on the current position of education and children's social care in England.

Read the ‘Ofsted annual report 2023/24: education, children's services and skills'.

Sir Martyn Oliver said:

The education and children's social care sectors are fundamental to the future success of this country. Their influence on the lives of children cannot be overstated. Our work allows us to see this influence up close. For the vast majority of children, the outcome is a positive one: the education and care they receive is of a high standard, and their future is brighter because of it.  

My priority is to make sure that all children share this positive experience. We know that for the most vulnerable children, life and learning can be more difficult. That is very rarely down to the services they receive, but it can be down to the services they do not receive.

This year's report reflects a period of change and reform – both within Ofsted and in government. In September, the response to the Big Listen set out the many changes Ofsted is making to improve inspection and reduce pressure on staff. Foremost among the changes, and a first step to wider reform, was the removal of the overall effectiveness grade from inspections of state-funded schools from September.

In the new year, Ofsted will formally consult on a renewed inspection framework for schools, early years, further education (FE) and skills providers, and initial teacher education. This will propose the introduction of report cards to follow all education inspections, offering more detail about a provider's strengths and weaknesses. In 2026, Ofsted will start to introduce changes to the way social care providers are inspected.

Sir Martyn Oliver concluded:

Ofsted plays a part in advocating for the most vulnerable children by drawing attention to the services under most pressure, the cracks in the system, or the providers that are not meeting their needs. That sits alongside our duty to recognise excellence, innovation and exemplary practice, and to reassure parents about the education and care their children receive. As we introduce changes to the way we work, we will not shy away from calling out unacceptable education or care. But we will also highlight and champion great work and positive outcomes.  

There are plenty of reasons to be positive about the future – not least because the services we inspect and regulate employ thousands of committed and talented people, doing their best for children and learners every day. They deserve all our thanks.

This year's annual report finds:

In early years

• Many families have trouble accessing high-quality early childcare, with ‘childcare deserts' more likely to be in areas experiencing lower incomes and higher child poverty.  

• Many nurseries are struggling to recruit and retain skilled and qualified staff. The disruption caused by high staff turnover can have a negative impact on children's learning and well-being, with vulnerable children and those with SEND particularly affected.  

• The vast majority of early years providers are doing a good job for children, but primary schools report that some children continue to lag behind with language, communication and social skills by the time they start school.

In schools

• The absence rate has risen since the pandemic, with disadvantaged and vulnerable children more likely to be persistently or severely absent.  

• A growing number of children are now on part-time timetables, while a mix of online and in-person education is increasingly being used for children with SEND and behaviour or health needs. A small number of schools also now allow flexi-schooling, where parents home educate their children for part of the week. Along with a growth in home–schooling and an unknown number of children attending unregistered schools, this means a very significant number are experiencing unorthodox patterns of education.

In the SEND system

• The number of children with SEND continues to increase, putting even more pressure on the already strained SEND system.  

• Inconsistencies and weaknesses continue in area SEND arrangements, and many children do not receive the right support at the right time. This is aggravated where there is ineffective use of information across partnerships, and weak joint commissioning, governance and oversight.  

• Not all children with an identified need will need an EHC plan. High-quality targeted support in mainstream schools and other early interventions can be made. If EHC plans are used too widely, the resources that follow them will always be stretched too thinly for those in most need.  

• Under the DfE's SEND code of practice, all schools should have a qualified teacher appointed special educational needs coordinator (SENCo). Making sure all schools meet this requirement is important.

Children's social care 

• The number of children's homes registered with Ofsted has sharply increased, but their geographic distribution does not reflect demand. Policymakers must address this and prevent too many children being sent to homes far away from friends, families and the places they know. 

• Without the right homes in the right places, too many children are placed in unregistered homes without regulatory oversight.

• The number of children subject to court-imposed deprivation of liberty (DoL) orders has increased over the last couple of years. Last year, over 1,200 DoL applications were made, compared to 580 in 2020/21 .

In FE and skills 

• The number of apprenticeships starting each year has decreased in recent years, but the quality of apprenticeships appears to be improving.  

• The education received by children in young offender institutions has been in decline for a decade, and provision for adult prisoners remains very weak. Improving education in the secure estate could ease the pressure on places by reducing reoffending and helping more convicts turn their lives around.