A Government watchdog has again given top marks for
children's services in North Somerset.
In their judgement released yesterday, Ofsted says 'Children’s
services in North Somerset Council perform excellently as in 2010.
The very large majority of settings, services and institutions are
good or better and help children and young people to stay safe and
enjoy their learning.'
Ofsted found that strengths include:
an improvement in the quality of nursery schools and Early Years
Foundation Stage provision in primary schools and the very large
majority are now good or better. Since the last assessment the
proportion of five-year-olds achieving a good level of development
by the end of their Reception Year at school has improved and is
better than found elsewhere. Performance has improved rapidly since
2007;
young people have access to post-16 provision that is of very
good quality, as it was last year. All secondary school sixth form
provision is at least good and the local college is also good. The
numbers of young people gaining level 2 and level 3 qualifications
by the age of 19 in the area show year on year improvement and
performance is better than in similar areas and nationally.
Also noted as a strength is the specialist provision for
children and young people with additional needs which is good
overall. Two of the three local authority maintained special
schools are now at least good. A common feature of the special
schools in the area is the strong work that takes place with
partners to promote the learning and well-being of those attending.
All four pupil referral units are at least good, as they were last
year. Following inspection in May the council's adoption
agency is now outstanding.
There are three areas highlighted for further improvement: the
overall quality of secondary school provision is satisfactory in
2011 whereas it was good in 2010; at the age of five and 16 the
attainment of children and young people from low-income families
has improved, but is below the national average and the gap in
achievement between them and their peers in North Somerset does not
show a consistent trend of narrowing; and the proportion of
looked-after young people aged 16 gaining five good GCSEs including
English and mathematics is below similar area and national
averages.
Cllr Jeremy Blatchford, executive member for children and young
people's services said that this result was a testament to the
dedication and hard work of everyone involved in delivering the
services but warned that there were tough times ahead in the face
of making massive savings.
"I want to thank all our staff in delivering excellence.
Children's services are not just the council but a large complex
organisation which involves many other partners including schools,
the NHS, police, Weston College - the council has a major
role in co-ordination as well as delivering services.
"We now need to meet the unprecedented challenge in how services
are delivered as we are faced, as a council, with making savings of
£47.3m by 2015. At the moment our children and young people's
services directorate is faced with cuts to its budget of more than
£11.7m over that period.
"Let there be no doubt that no area of what we do will go
unaffected by these changes which have already started with over
£5.5m being shaved from the CYPS budget this year.
"The fact that staff continue to perform at the top of their
game really is an excellent result. This report shows we are the
best performing in this arena in the West of England and joint top
performer (with Plymouth and Dorset) in the South West."
