Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe Colleges and training providers receiving new SEND inclusion funding will have to show inspectors how the money is improving outcomes for students under updated Ofsted rules coming into force this September. The watchdog’s refreshed further education and skills inspection toolkit, published today, said inspectors will examine, as part of the whole-provider ‘inclusion’ judgment, whether leaders and governors have developed and published plans for spending the new 16 to 19 inclusive mainstream fund (IMF). Funding worth £73 million from the fund is set to make its way to colleges and training providers next month. It is designed to help providers better meet SEND students’ needs in mainstream settings. Providers were already expected to explain how they will use the funding in their accountability statements. Today’s update to Ofsted’s inspection toolkit means that, from September, inspectors will test whether leaders and governors have “developed and, where appropriate, published plans for the inclusive mainstream fund” and whether they have “taken steps to strengthen inclusive practice”. The new inspection toolkit adds the IMF to its evidence-gathering section for the inclusion judgment. It was one of several changes in Ofsted’s September 2026 inspection guidance documents. Focused monitoring inspections to get reports Focused monitoring inspections are triggered when “a serious concern has been raised with Ofsted and a decision to inspect is made”. They are separate from improvement monitoring inspections, which are triggered by ‘urgent improvement’ or ‘needs attention’ judgments or when safeguarding is ‘not met’. Ofsted’s chief inspector and the secretary of state for education have discretion to “inspect any provider at any time” through a focused monitoring inspection, but example triggers include a significant decline in education standards or a serious breakdown in leadership and governance. They can be announced or unannounced. The September guidance says the decision on whether or not to give notice will depend on the level of concerns raised, including whether there are concerns about the safety of learners or apprentices. Currently, inspectors are told to “amend [a provider’s] report card as applicable” following a focused monitoring inspection. But from September, inspectors will be told to “draft a focused monitoring inspection report setting out your findings”. Ofsted retains its right to follow up a visit with a full inspection, but the way it communicates its findings changes from September. Instead of an updated report card, a report will be published, even if inspectors find no evidence of what triggered the visit. Mental health risks added to safeguarding Ofsted has bolstered its whole-setting safeguarding criteria with clearer expectations on serious mental health concerns. Its current version says leaders and staff should identify learners and apprentices who need support for “significant mental health issues”. But the September update goes further, adding serious mental health concerns to its list of “risks of harm” to learners alongside violence, grooming and exploitation. Serious mental health issues such as eating disorders, self-harm or suicide ideation are now explicitly listed as safeguarding risks in new inspection guidance.