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An Ofsted visit was the turning point for change. Gold-standard plans have risen from 0% to 12%.
➡️ Southampton City Council had no consistent quality assurance system in place. Spreadsheets were used, and resource capacity limited audits to only one EHCP per officer per month, which was inefficient and unsustainable.
➡️ An Ofsted visit was the turning point for change. The inspectors noted that “there is variability in how well the provision set out in EHC plans meets the needs of children and young people.”
➡️ In May 2025, the team began using Invision360’s EHCP QA module. Initial reports showed that half of the EHCPs reviewed had “significant gaps.”
➡️ Just seven months later, this dropped from 50% to 9%, while gold-standard plans rose from 0% to 12%.
➡️ Real-time reporting has turned quality assurance from a reactive into a proactive strategy.
We’re all clear on the problems that manual quality assurance brings. It is time-consuming, lacks a consistent approach across multi agencies, and can’t demonstrate real-time progress.
The solution is a digital system that works with you. A technical solution that is easy to use, reduces stress, and can deliver clear, accurate reporting at the touch of a button.
We’ve developed our EHCP QA module to deliver:
• Clear, accurate reporting at the touch of a button
• Consistent standards and a shared definition of what “good” quality looks like
• Confidence in compliance without the stress
Over 60 local authorities across the UK are now investing in this module. Southampton City Council is one of them, and their story shows just how transformative this module can be.
Southampton’s story will be a familiar tale to almost anyone working within the SEND sector.
The local authority is responsible for just under 3,000 EHCPs in the locality, they now have 37 active auditors across education, health and social care, although at the start of the journey there was just one.
With no dedicated resources and tight budgets, creating a meaningful quality assurance process seemed impossible. During audits, there was no way to combine insights into actionable learning.
This meant that Southampton City Council were dealing with inconsistent quality and mounting pressure.
The Ofsted Area SEND inspection was clear.
Southampton needed to find a way to improve the consistency and quality of its plans to improve joint working between services.
The inspectors report gave Southampton the impetus to explore new options to improve the quality of their EHCPs and provide measurable ways to monitor quality improvement progress.
As part of their search criteria, Southampton recognised that they needed a system which was quick and easy to implement and would deliver comprehensive audits of multiple plans by a range of auditors. Within discussions with the Parent Carer Forum (PCF), it became clear that the Invision360 module had been highly recommended through nationwide PCF meetings.
Prior to using Invision360’s EHCP module, all quality assurance processes were handled manually by Ali Clark, the SEND Practice Manager for Quality Assurance.
She told us, “We already knew that we had a fair amount of work to be done. The Ofsted report told us that our EHCPs were normally of a good standard, but we had already identified multiple areas that needed work. It wasn’t unexpected news, and we already had a plan of action to implement improvements.”
Although half of EHCPs were rated as having ‘significant gaps’, the team had a clear vision of what they were trying to achieve, and this was backed by everyone's commitment to making rapid improvements.
Southampton’s transformation was immediate.
➡️ What once consumed 10 hours of administration time each month now takes less than two.
➡️ Real-time reporting has turned quality assurance from reactive into a proactive strategy.
➡️ Emerging issues are identified and addressed quickly, enabling targeted training and systemic improvements.
Beyond this, the results tell their own story of progress and improvement.
It’s impossible not to be impressed by these improvement figures, and Southampton City Council deserves huge plaudits for making such a positive change in a short time.
The team was already aware of where improvements were needed, and the EHCP module allowed them to go beyond their initial vision.
• Identification of ‘quick wins’ to drive improvements in quality
• Reports identified weaknesses in the system that could be addressed swiftly
• At a glance visual dashboard of areas positively and negatively impacting workflow
By turning reporting into a real-time learning process, the shift has moved from measuring progress to actively driving improvement.
When Southampton began its improvement journey none of its EHCPs had achieved ‘gold’ status. Within just seven months, 12% of plans are now categorised as meeting ‘Gold’ standards.
This demonstrates clear, measurable progress in the impact of the changes.
The introduction of the module itself only tells part of the story.
Southampton’s success has been founded in how the module has been used and the mechanisms introduced to ensure long-term success.
✅ Close collaboration with the new DCO and Social care managers on the healthcare and social care-related sections, as the plans rely on reports from the relevant professionals. This increased clarity is helping ensure that every part of the form has the same level of quality assurance.
✅ Face-to-face training with case officers every eight weeks, focusing on a different EHCP section. The sessions ensure everyone receives the support and guidance needed, resulting in long-term benefits.
✅ The ability to identify and address quality issues at an earlier stage provides the opportunity to spot potential weaknesses and act on them quickly, which has a positive impact on learning and development opportunities.
Too many SEND teams fear being asked to demonstrate progress to senior leadership teams. When reporting mechanisms are time-consuming or do not account for the full context of the work, a simple request for a status update can be stressful and overwhelming.
However, Southampton’s SEND team now welcome monthly and quarterly requests for reporting updates.
The sharp improvements have been clear to see from the outset, and the leadership teams can see the rapid impact delivered. Senior leaders and stakeholders are confident in the data and exploring what further improvements the system can provide.
One of the biggest challenges facing SEND teams is the subjective nature of what “good” looks like in a quality assurance process. The criteria within the EHCP QA module remove subjectivity, ensuring that the same high standards are expected of everyone that contributes to a plan.
• Southampton have used the module to ensure that there is a clear understanding of what ‘good’ looks like from all plan writers and case officers. By clearly defining all expectations, contributors can adjust their practice and improve their writing to meet those targets.
• Training sessions are used to complement that deeper understanding. Everyone is provided with clear examples of success criteria. Continuous feedback loops ensure that everyone is aware of what they need to do.
• By recognising what good looks like, reiterating the legal expectations and encouraging staff members to audit each other’s plans, Southampton have created a collaborative working environment.
• The standards outlined within the Invision360 module have been used to help the team outline their standard operating procedures. These will be used to explain the high expectations for new staff members moving forward. This will ensure that standards remain high and continue to improve.
Southampton has learned from Ofsted’s feedback and applied those insights, turning recommendations into action.
While most SEND teams might dread the call from Ofsted saying they are on their way, Southampton looks forward to demonstrating its progress. Every real-time report downloaded is an opportunity to demonstrate how recommendations have been acted on and the improved outcomes for children and families.
Southampton’s story tells us what is possible. Improving quality assurance processes offers more value than simply increasing efficiency. It’s about recognising that reporting processes are there to inform, guide, and improve practice, so that better outcomes can be put in place for children and young people.
SEND teams deserve to be proud of the work that they are doing.
Now’s the time for you to find out how you can make quality assurance processes something to celebrate.
Imagine having a process in place that immediately shows where gaps are emerging, measures family and carer involvement, and monitors whether children are meeting or exceeding their outcomes.
That’s why we’ve developed our EHCP QA module and our EHCP annual review module to work collaboratively, so you can be confident that your systems and processes are giving your SEND leads confidence that plans are delivering the outcomes they were designed for.
