Other · Local authority data pack
Setting
Summary
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TQ3 2TE
Deep dive
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Tone of the report
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How the report reads, start to finish
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Strengths
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- A number of primary and secondary schools have become academies in the last year and almost all of them were good or outstanding at their last inspection as local authority schools; these grades have been taken into account in making this assessment. p.2
- The very large majority of childminding and childcare provision is good or better and this proportion has increased in the last year, with a quarter of all providers now judged to be outstanding. Provision for children under five in nursery schools and primary schools is mostly good or better. p.2
- general further education college is outstanding. p.2
Concerns
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- In 2010, a full inspection of safeguarding judged arrangements to be inadequate and, as a result, children’s services overall were assessed as performing poorly because of significant weaknesses in social care provision. p.2
- Capacity to improve was also judged to be inadequate. p.2
- Similarly, an assessment of ‘performs poorly’ does not mean there are no adequate or even good aspects. p.1
- Children’s services in Torbay Borough Council perform poorly. p.2
- Since that time, there have been no further inspections of safeguarding and, until a full re-inspection of safeguarding takes place, the judgment remains that the children’s services in Torbay perform poorly. p.2
Next steps
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- The effectiveness of services in helping children and young people feel safe is adequate but, in too many other important respects, arrangements are inadequate. p.3
- These include the quality of provision, assessment and direct work with children and families, leadership and management, partnership work and quality assurance. Services for looked after children overall and capacity to improve are only satisfactory. p.3
- The adoption service is also only satisfactory. p.3
- The contribution of services to supporting looked after young people to prepare for adult life and independence is outstanding, with a high proportion of care leavers in education, training or work. p.3
- However, in all other respects, outcomes for children in care are no better than satisfactory. p.3
- The quality of most commissioned services is good or better. One in three primary schools are only satisfactory. p.3
- This children’s services assessment is provided in accordance with section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. p.3
- Juliet Winstanley Divisional Manager, Children’s Services Assessment p.3
What the report dwells on
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Anatomy of the report
How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.
- Pages
- 3
- Words of findings
- 963
- shorter than usual (typical 3558)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 35, typical 50
- Average sentence
- 23 words
- Next steps
- 8
- typical 5
- Hedged sentences
- 5%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
Mr Richard Williams Acting Director for Children's Services Torbay Borough Council Children’s Services Oldway, Torquay Road Paignton Devon TQ3 2TE
p.1
Annual children’s services assessment
Ofsted guidance published in April 2011 explains that the annual assessment of children’s services is derived from the performance profile of the quality of services for children and young people in each local area. This performance profile includes findings from across Ofsted’s inspection and regulation of services and settings for which the local authority has strategic or operational responsibilities, either alone or in partnership with others, together with other published data.
p.1
Annual children’s services assessment
In reaching the assessment of children’s services, Ofsted has taken account of inspection outcomes including the arrangements for making sure children are safe and stay safe and performance against similar authorities and/or national measures. More weight has been given to the outcomes of Ofsted’s inspections and regulatory visits (Blocks A and B in the performance profile).
p.1
Annual children’s services assessment
The annual assessment derives from a four point scale:
p.1
Annual children’s services assessment
4 Performs excellently An organisation that significantly exceeds minimum requirements 3 Performs well An organisation that exceeds minimum requirements 2 Performs adequately An organisation that meets only minimum requirements 1 Performs poorly An organisation that does not meet minimum requirements
p.1
Annual children’s services assessment
Within each level there will be differing standards of provision. For example, an assessment of ‘performs excellently’ does not mean all aspects of provision are perfect. Similarly, an assessment of ‘performs poorly’ does not mean there are no adequate or even good aspects. As in 2010, while the performance profile remains central to Ofsted’s assessment, meeting or not meeting the minimum requirements alone does not define the grade. The assessment has involved the application of inspector judgement. Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 Textphone 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 020 7421 6666 Direct F 020 7421 5633 Juliet.Winstanley@ofsted.gov.uk
p.1
Children’s services assessment Performs poorly (1)
Children’s services in Torbay Borough Council perform poorly. In 2010, a full inspection of safeguarding judged arrangements to be inadequate and, as a result, children’s services overall were assessed as performing poorly because of significant weaknesses in social care provision. Capacity to improve was also judged to be inadequate. Since that time, there have been no further inspections of safeguarding and, until a full re-inspection of safeguarding takes place, the judgment remains that the children’s services in Torbay perform poorly.
p.2
Children’s services assessment Performs poorly (1)
In other key respects, the strengths and areas for improvement remain largely the same as in 2010. The very large majority of services, settings and institutions inspected by Ofsted are good or better and provision continues to help children and young people learn well and stay safe. A number of primary and secondary schools have become academies in the last year and almost all of them were good or outstanding at their last inspection as local authority schools; these grades have been taken into account in making this assessment.
p.2
Strengths
The very large majority of childminding and childcare provision is good or better and this proportion has increased in the last year, with a quarter of all providers now judged to be outstanding. Provision for children under five in nursery schools and primary schools is mostly good or better. Both children’s centres that have been inspected are good. Standards in the Early Years Foundation Stage are now in line with similar areas and the national average, having improved substantially over the last four years. All secondary schools, bar one, are now good or better. Attainment at Key Stage 4 is in line with similar areas and the national average and continues to improve. Young people from low-income backgrounds also do as well as their counterparts elsewhere. The pupil referral unit and the sixth form in the special school are good. With one exception, all the school sixth forms are good or better, and the
p.2
Strengths
general further education college is outstanding. Achievement of level 2 and level 3 qualifications at the age of 19 continues to improve and is in line with similar areas and the national average. The proportion of young people in learning or work remains consistently above the average for similar areas. At the age of 19, young people from low-income backgrounds do better than the average for this group elsewhere. The gap in attainment between the low-income group and the majority of young people of the same age in Torbay is closing. The fostering service is good. The local authority has no children’s homes of its own, but the large majority of the provision it commissions from other providers is good or better.
p.2
Areas for further improvement
Safeguarding arrangements are inadequate and capacity to improve is also inadequate. The effectiveness of services in helping children and young people feel safe is adequate but, in too many other important respects, arrangements are inadequate. These include the quality of provision, assessment and direct work with children and families, leadership and management, partnership work and quality assurance. Services for looked after children overall and capacity to improve are only satisfactory. The adoption service is also only satisfactory. The contribution of services to supporting looked after young people to prepare for adult life and independence is outstanding, with a high proportion of care leavers in education, training or work. However, in all other respects, outcomes for children in care are no better than satisfactory. The quality of most commissioned services is good or better. One in three primary schools are only satisfactory. Inspection grades over
p.3
Areas for further improvement
the last year continue to show marked variation in the quality of provision, with some schools improving while others deteriorate. The quality of special schools is mixed with one outstanding, one good and one that is now inadequate.
p.3
Areas for further improvement
This children’s services assessment is provided in accordance with section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
p.3
Areas for further improvement
Juliet Winstanley Divisional Manager, Children’s Services Assessment
p.3
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