The joint Ofsted and CQC report following an inspection in June 2025 highlighted a number of areas for improvement.

The regulators called for a ‘co-ordinated' action plan that was ‘clear' and had ‘measurable outcomes' and urged education, health and social care practitioners to work together more effectively.

In addition, the inspectors said local partners should reduce waiting times for therapeutic services, child and adolescent mental health services and access to wheelchair services and improve the quality and impact of education, health and care plan (EHC) plans.

Cllr Jane Rylah, Kirklees Council cabinet member for education, said: ‘We will always acknowledge that some parts of SEND provision need further development. This is a national issue, as well as in Kirklees.'

The councillor said the council had identified the areas for improvement highlighted before the inspection and was working to address them.

Initiatives include multi-million-pound investments to rebuild, relocate and expand Woodley School and College, which is for pupils with complex autism, and Joseph Norton Academy, which is for pupils with social emotional and mental health needs.

The council said it had supported special schools to create ‘satellite' provisions, which add extra places away from their main sites and increased the number of specialist places within mainstream schools.

Additionally, the number of EHCPs issued within a 20-week timeframe have doubled, putting the council above the national average.