Setting

Mrs Phyllis Dunipace Executive Director, Children and Young People's Services London Borough of Lambeth International House 7th Floor 6 Canterbury Crescent London SW9 7QE

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Children’s services annual rating

Ofsted guidance published in May 2009 explained that the annual rating would derive from a new performance profile of the quality of services and outcomes for children and young people in each local area. This profile includes findings from across Ofsted’s inspection and regulation of services and settings for which the council has strategic or operational responsibilities, either alone or in partnership with others, together with data from the relevant Every Child Matters indicators in the new National Indicator Set (NIS).

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Children’s services annual rating

In considering the evidence in the profile to determine the children’s services rating for 2009 it has become clear that the continuing gaps in the data are significant, particularly those relating to aspects of social care and services for Looked After Children. Ofsted has decided therefore to use 2009 as a transitional year easing into the full application of the new system in 2010. As a consequence, although the performance profile remains central to Ofsted’s rating, we have interpreted the performance bands with flexibility and exercised professional judgement with caution.

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Children’s services annual rating

The annual rating derives from a four point scale:

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Children’s services annual rating

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

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Children’s services annual rating

Within each level there will be differing standards of provision. For example, a rating of ‘performs excellently’ does not mean all aspects of provision are perfect. Similarly, a rating of ‘performs poorly’ does not mean there are no adequate or even good aspects. Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 020-7421-6716 Direct F 020-7421-5715 juliet.winstanley@ofsted.gov.uk

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

Children’s services in the London Borough of Lambeth perform well.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

The overall effectiveness of the large majority of inspected services and settings is good or better. An above average proportion of nurseries and secondary schools is good or outstanding, as are the large majority of primary schools.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

A lower than average proportion of both childminders and childcare settings on non- domestic premises is good or outstanding. Services for children and young people whose circumstances make them vulnerable are generally good. Agencies for adoption and fostering are good and arrangements for private fostering are also good. One of the five special schools is satisfactory, but the rest are good or better. However, two of the three pupil referral units are only satisfactory. The joint area review report published in 2009 judged services for safeguarding and looked after children to be good. An unannounced inspection of contact, referral and assessment arrangements in August 2009 found no areas for priority action but some areas for development. In relation to the Every Child Matters outcomes, judgements for staying safe and enjoying and achieving are good or better across a very large majority of inspected and regulated services and settings.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

Performance against a very large majority of national indicators, including those for staying safe and enjoying and achieving, is in line with or above similar area and national averages. The difference in the performance of children and young people whose circumstances make them vulnerable and others of the same age is still too wide, but achievement gaps are generally smaller than the national figure. Good progress is being made in raising the attainment of pupils from almost all minority ethnic groups and those entitled to free school meals.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

The children’s services rating is provided for the purpose of section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. The rating of local authority children’s services will contribute significantly to the managing performance theme of each local authority’s Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) organisational assessment and therefore to the score for each local authority overall.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

Juliet Winstanley Divisional Manager, CAA

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