12 Questions Ofsted Will Ask Your SENCO in 2025

Under the 2025 Ofsted framework, SEND is no longer just a box to tick — it is now evaluated under a standalone Inclusion area. Inspectors will meet with SENCOs on Day 1, and your answers will directly shape the inspection outcome.

Based on the updated framework and inspector training materials, here are 12 questions you should rehearse before that call comes.

Leadership and Vision

1. What is your school's vision for SEND pupils, and how does it align with the whole-school vision?

Inspectors want to hear that SEND is embedded in your school culture, not bolted on. Reference your school improvement plan and how SEND outcomes feature in whole-school targets.

2. How do you ensure all teachers take responsibility for SEND pupils in their classrooms?

The SEND Code of Practice is clear: every teacher is a teacher of SEND (SCoP 6.36). Explain your CPD programme, quality-first teaching expectations, and how you monitor classroom practice.

3. What is your role on the senior leadership team?

SCoP 6.87 states the SENCO should have "sufficient time and resources" and access to SLT. If you are not on SLT, explain how you influence strategic decisions — meeting attendance, direct line to Head, governor access.

Identification and Assessment

4. How do you identify pupils with SEND, particularly those with less visible needs?

Walk them through your identification process — screening tools, teacher referrals, data analysis, parent concerns. Emphasise early identification and how you catch needs before they escalate.

5. What does the data tell you about SEND pupils in your school?

Know your numbers: percentage on SEN Support, percentage with EHC plans, breakdown by primary need, attendance rates, exclusion rates, progress data. Be ready to explain any gaps.

Quality of Provision

6. How do you ensure the curriculum is ambitious for SEND pupils?

Inspectors will push back on any narrowing of curriculum. Explain how SEND pupils access the full curriculum with appropriate scaffolding, not a reduced or separate offer.

7. How do you know if interventions are working?

Describe your Assess-Plan-Do-Review cycles. Show how you measure impact with pre/post assessments, and what happens when an intervention does not work.

8. What training have staff received this year to support SEND pupils?

Be specific: autism awareness, speech and language strategies, trauma-informed approaches. Include both whole-staff CPD and targeted training for specific staff.

Outcomes and Impact

9. What outcomes do your SEND pupils achieve, and how do these compare to non-SEND peers?

Focus on progress, not just attainment. Highlight case studies where pupils have made significant gains. Be honest about areas for improvement and what you are doing about them.

10. How do you prepare SEND pupils for their next steps?

Cover transition between key stages and preparation for adulthood. Show how careers guidance is tailored, how you work with colleges and employers, and how independence skills are developed.

Inclusion and Culture

11. How do you ensure SEND pupils belong and thrive in your school community?

This is the heart of the new Inclusion evaluation. Discuss extra-curricular access, peer relationships, anti-bullying strategies, and pupil voice mechanisms for SEND pupils.

12. Tell me about a SEND pupil who has particularly thrived here.

Have 2-3 case studies ready — real stories that demonstrate your provision in action. Include the barriers they faced, the support provided, and the outcomes achieved.

Prepare With Confidence

The best way to prepare is to conduct a self-evaluation using the same questions inspectors will ask. Our SENCO Self-Evaluation Template mirrors the Ofsted framework and helps you identify gaps before they do.