Setting

Mr Andrew Ireland Group Director for Children and Young People London Borough of Havering Town Hall Main Road Romford Essex RM1 3BB

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2008

This letter summarises the findings of the 2008 annual performance assessment (APA) for your council. The evaluations and judgements in the letter draw on a range of data and information which covers the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. As you know, the APA is not based on an inspection of your services and, therefore, can only provide a snapshot based on the evidence considered. As such, I am grateful to you for assuring the quality of the data provided.

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2008

Performance is judged on a four point scale as detailed in the handbook. I should emphasise that the grades awarded are based on an overall ‘best fit’ model. For instance, an outstanding judgement of Grade 4 reflects that overall most aspects, but not necessarily all, of the services in the area are working very well. We know that one of the features of outstanding provision is the drive for greater improvement and no council would suggest, and nor would Ofsted, that a judgement of outstanding indicates that everything is perfect. Similarly within a judgement of inadequate overall, Grade 1, there could be some aspects of the overall service that are adequate or even good. Judgements are made in a rounded way, balancing all of the evidence and giving due consideration to outcomes, local and national contexts, priorities and decision-making. Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

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2008

www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0117 945 6293 Direct F 0117 945 6554 South_apa@ofsted.gov.uk The following table sets out the grades awarded for performance in 2008.

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Assessment judgement area APA grade

Overall effectiveness of children’s services 3 Being healthy 3 Staying safe 3 Enjoying and achieving 3 Making a positive contribution 3 Achieving economic well-being 3 Capacity to improve, including the management of services for children and young people

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Assessment judgement area APA grade

Inspectors make judgements based on the following scale 4: outstanding/excellent; 3: good; 2: adequate; 1: inadequate

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

The London Borough of Havering consistently delivers good services. The budget for social services per capita is below the national average. However, the council makes a good contribution and works efficiently to achieve the good outcomes reported. It manages this through extensive and well developed commissioning, drawing on private and voluntary sector expertise to meet the diverse needs of its residents. For example, children at risk are well protected and education results are above the national average. Good progress has been made on all of the areas for development since the 2007 APA. However, since the 2007 APA three schools have been placed in a category of concern by Ofsted. There is a clear need to close the gap between the effectiveness of the council’s best and least well performing schools. The council has recognised this in its accurate self assessment and has taken appropriate actions to

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

address the problem. It also recognises that teenage pregnancy rates need a stronger focus. The council’s analysis of its strengths and areas for development is consistent with the admissible evidence. There are no additional recommendations to make as a result of the APA.

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

The children's services grade is the performance rating for the purpose of section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. It will also provide the score for the children and young people service block in the comprehensive performance assessment to be published by the Audit Commission.

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

We are grateful for the information you provided as part of this process and for the time given by you and your colleagues in preparing for the assessment.

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Overall effectiveness of children’s services Grade 3

Juliet Winstanley Divisional Manager Local Services Inspection

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Being healthy

ƒ Good progress towards fully comprehensive child and adolescent mental health services, including specialist services for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. ƒ Children receive effective assessment and monitoring of their health needs. ƒ Good progress with the number of schools achieving National Healthy School Status and effective prioritisation of healthy lifestyles.

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Being healthy

ƒ Number of conceptions amongst 15- to 17-year-olds, although previously low, is not reducing. ƒ Breast-feeding initiation rates, although increased in 06/07, are lower than those found in statistical neighbours and nationally.

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Staying safe

ƒ Sustained good management of child protection cases, with a low rate of repeat referrals and re-registrations. ƒ Well established and adequately resourced Local Safeguarding Children Board, is ensuring that serious cases are reviewed appropriately and lessons learned are widely disseminated to improve safeguarding practice. ƒ High rates of placement stability for looked after children and high levels of participation in timely reviews.

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Staying safe

ƒ Consistent implementation of the common assessment framework across the partnership is yet to be achieved. ƒ Respite care arrangements do not fully meet the needs of children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Enjoying and achieving

ƒ Educational standards across the borough and within different groups remain well above average. ƒ Most children and young people, and particularly those from vulnerable groups and from minority ethnic backgrounds, achieve well. ƒ Overall effectiveness of most schools that have been inspected by Ofsted is judged to be at least good.

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Enjoying and achieving

ƒ Borough has three schools in an Ofsted category of concern.

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Making a positive contribution

ƒ Low rate of re-offending and a high number of young offenders engaged in full time education, training and employment. ƒ Good partnership work which is reducing anti-social behaviour in targeted areas. ƒ Engagement of children and young people in school councils and schools developing engagement with the broader participation agenda.

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Making a positive contribution

ƒ Implementation of person centred planning for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Achieving economic well-being

ƒ Good progress has been made in 14–19 curriculum planning at a strategic level. This is improving outcomes for children and young people. ƒ Good range of support ensuring a high level of looked after children are in education, employment or training. ƒ Educational attainment for young people in post 16 education and at age 16 is well- above average.

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Achieving economic well-being

ƒ Provision for work-based learning and the availability of apprenticeships and Diploma lines.

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management of children’s services

ƒ Excellent track record of efficient delivery of services. ƒ Well developed monitoring and performance management systems, used effectively to bring about improvements. ƒ Effective reallocation of resources to match changing needs and good value for money.

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