The Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel of Merton Council met on Thursday 17 September 2026 to discuss departmental updates, the school place planning strategy, and performance monitoring. Key discussions included the impact of falling pupil numbers on school budgets, the strategy for managing specialist provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and performance data related to education, attendance, and SEND support.

Departmental Update

The Panel received an update on the Children, Lifelong Learning and Families (CLLF) Department's work. Councillors discussed the implementation of Ofsted's new inspection framework and its impact on schools, with feedback indicating the process is intensive for school leaders. Concerns were raised about how SEND reforms are communicated to parents and carers, with assurances that webinars and engagement with parent forums are taking place. The success of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme was noted, with a request for more detailed attendance data. The Panel also discussed changes to short breaks for families with disabled children, which have been consulted upon with parents and carers.

A concern was raised that the Ofsted inspection framework might inadvertently incentivise schools to avoid admitting children with SEND. The Executive Director acknowledged this as a national issue being raised with Ofsted, emphasizing the need to revisit inclusion. An update on the Youth Justice Service's HMIP inspection was provided, with an action plan signed off by the Youth Justice Board. The evaluation of the Abbey Pilot was reported as successful, with findings to inform the Family First Partnership. The role of councillors in such pilots was discussed, with the Cabinet Member for Children's Services highlighting the importance of councillors in signposting information and shaping programmes through scrutiny.

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) Service 2025/26

This item was deferred to the November meeting.

School Place Planning Strategy

The Panel discussed the draft School Places Planning Strategy for 2026-2031. The Executive Director expressed confidence in the accuracy of pupil intake figures, based on best practice and a strategic decision in 2020 to maintain school capacity. The strategy aims to monitor pupil numbers closely and work with the Council's Housing/Buildings Assets Board to understand the impact of new housing developments on school demand. The aspiration is to avoid school site closures where possible, recognising their importance to communities.

The Panel inquired about the impact of including private schools in the VAT regime on maintained school places. Officers confirmed that there are sufficient places available and the anticipated demand did not materialise. Alternative options to support communities beyond school closures or openings were discussed, with the integrated neighbourhood team model and Children's Services transformation work highlighted as potential future solutions. The Panel also sought an update on plans to expand special school provision, awaiting clarification from the Department for Education.

Performance Monitoring

The Panel noted the performance report, which outlines key performance areas across Children, Lifelong Learning and Families, focusing on supporting children's achievement and safety. The report aligns with the Children and Young People's Plan priorities: Being Healthy, Staying Safe, Enjoying and Achieving, Getting Involved and Having a Say, and Supporting Futures.

Key performance indicators discussed included:

• Attainment: Merton pupils are performing above national benchmarks in Early Years Foundation Stage Profile, Year 1 Phonics, and Key Stage 2 assessments.
• Attendance: Weekly absence data was presented, with a chart illustrating attendance trends.
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND): Merton demonstrates strong performance in the timeliness of issuing Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), with 91% issued within the 20-week timescale in the 2025 calendar year. However, a dip in performance was noted in July 2026 due to capacity issues within the Educational Psychology Service. The report highlighted national shortages of SEND specialists as a barrier to achieving 100% performance. Referrals for EHCNA are increasing year-on-year, and the SEND reforms aim to address this by strengthening mainstream inclusion.
• Risk Outside the Home: Data on children reported missing from home or care was presented.
• Children at Risk or Suffering Harm: As of June 2026, there were 323 children on a child in need plan and 176 children subject to a child protection plan in Merton. The report detailed the process for reviewing serious incidents and highlighted recent themes from safeguarding practice reviews, including safe sleeping, whole family working, and professional curiosity.

Action Log

The Panel noted the action log, which tracks outstanding actions from previous meetings. Updates were provided on childhood immunisation data, the timeline for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) being provided with education settings, and the review of school absence by ward. The analysis of EHCPs by ward and the implications of SEND reforms for Council services are to be included in future performance reports.

Work Programme

The Panel reviewed and noted its work programme for 2026/27, which includes items such as the LADO Annual Report, School Place Planning Strategy, Departmental Updates, and Performance Monitoring. Future topics for discussion were also noted, including children in temporary accommodation, children's health, child poverty, and the local response to national SEND reforms.