Setting

Mr Andrew Fraser Director of Education, Children's Services and Leisure London Borough of Enfield PO Box 56 Civic Centre Silver Street Enfield London EN1 3XQ

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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 Enfield perform well.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

There is very little inadequate provision of any kind across the borough. A higher than average proportion of both nursery and primary schools is good or outstanding. However, a lower than average proportion of secondary and sixth form schools are good or outstanding. Too many are adequate overall, but none are inadequate. In relation to the Every Child Matters outcomes, judgements for staying safe are good or outstanding across a large majority of schools and settings. Judgements for enjoying and achieving are more variable with early years provision, secondary and sixth form schools performing only satisfactorily overall for this outcome area.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

Provision for more vulnerable children and young people is good overall. Five of the six special schools are at least good and all three pupil referral units are good. The fostering and adoption agencies are also good and private fostering arrangements are satisfactory. An unannounced inspection of contact, referral and assessment arrangements was carried out in July 2009. There are no areas for priority action; two areas for development and many positive features of the service are identified. Three serious case reviews have been conducted between 1 April 2007 and 15 July 2009. Ofsted has evaluated two as good and one as adequate.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

Performance against a very large majority of performance indicators, including those for staying safe and enjoying and achieving, is in line with or above similar areas and national averages. The difference in the performance of children and young people whose circumstances make them vulnerable is still too wide. However, progress is being made in some areas, for example, the gap is closing more rapidly than nationally for pupils receiving free school meals at both Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 and pupils with special educational needs at Key Stage 2.

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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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