Joint area review

Joint area review of Report for children and young people Kingston-upon-Hull

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Report for children and young people about the services they receive in Kingston-upon-Hull

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• Being healthy • Staying safe • Enjoying and doing well at school and as they grow up • Making a positive contribution to society • Being successful in whatever they choose to do when they are adults Kingston upon Hull children and young people’s report 2

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Why should I read this?

The law says that inspectors must look at and then report on how well local services serve children and young people in an area. This is called a “review”. Inspectors visited your area recently. You might like to read this, or the full report which you can find on Ofsted’s website, to find out what they had to say.

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What did the inspectors do?

Eight inspectors visited Hull in September-October 2006 so that they could find out what life is like for children and young people in the area. They:

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What did the inspectors do?

™ talked with children and young people ™ talked with lots of adults working with children and young people (like social workers, teachers, youth workers, nurses, doctors, police officers and councillors) ™ spoke to parents and other people caring for children ™ heard from the council and other agencies about what it thinks about the services it provides for children ™ read lots of reports, and visited one neighbourhood to see things for themselves.

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What did the inspectors do?

The inspectors also looked at how well particular children are doing, like those children in the council’s care or those who have a learning difficulty and/or disability. They know that elsewhere these groups of children often do not get a good service and needed to check up on this locally.

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How well are children and young people doing in Hull?

™ They are generally as healthy as children in the rest of the country, but many have poor dental health. ™ They appear safe, with fewer seriously injured in road accidents and fires. ™ Results in schools are improving, but more leave school without GCSEs or similar qualifications than in other parts of the country. ™ A low proportion of young people leave school with GCSEs or similar qualifications in English and maths. ™ Many enjoy the range of learning and recreation activities they can take part in outside school. ™ Many make important contributions to their schools and communities, but there are too many instances of anti-social behaviour. Kingston upon Hull children and young people’s report 3

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How well are children and young people doing in Hull?

™ A similar proportion of young people over 16 are in education or training as in other parts of the country, but fewer gain qualifications by age 19.

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your area?

™ They feel generally healthy. ™ They feel safe in school. They are satisfied with the way schools deal with bullying. ™ They think they are doing well at school. ™ They think they have a say and make a difference to the way things are run both at school and in their local area. ™ They are concerned about racism and anti-social behaviour outside of school.

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in my area?

™ The council is very ambitious to make Hull an excellent place to live and work. Inspectors think that services for children and young people will continue to get better. ™ There many examples of ways in which services are working well to help children and young people to be healthy. ™ Agencies work together well to help children who are thought to be at risk of serious harm. ™ There is good support available for young people who are having problems. ™ There are satisfactory arrangements for the education and care of children under five-years-old. ™ The work to help children and young people do their best at school has helped more of them to reach higher standards. ™ The range of learning and leisure opportunities for children and young people is increasing. ™ There are many opportunities for children and young people to have a say in the way things are run at school and in the local area. The council and other agencies take the views of children and young people

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in my area?

very seriously. ™ Fewer young people who have been in trouble with the law are getting into trouble again. Kingston upon Hull children and young people’s report 4

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in my area?

™ There is good support available for children and young people who are looked after by the council and for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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What things are not so good for children and young people?

™ The dental health of children is poor. ™ Too many teenagers are getting pregnant. ™ Children and young people who have to care for other members of their families need more support. ™ The level of pupils’ absence in secondary and special schools is too high. ™ Not enough children get GCSEs or similar qualifications in English and maths. ™ There is still too much anti-social behaviour. ™ Too many young people leave school without GCSEs or similar qualifications. ™ The number of young people who are not in education, employment or training after they leave school is too high. ™ The number of young people whose whereabouts is not known after they have left school is too high. ™ Not enough young people gain qualifications by age 19.

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