Setting

Ms Alison Michalska Director of Children, Family and Adult Services East Riding of Yorkshire Council County Hall, Cross Street Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire HU17 9BA

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Annual children’s services assessment

Ofsted guidance published in July 2010 explains that the annual assessment of children’s services is derived from the performance profile of the quality of services and outcomes 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 data from the relevant indicators in the National Indicator Set (NIS).

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Annual children’s services assessment

In reaching the assessment of children’s services, Ofsted has taken account of all inspected and regulated services for children and young people, arrangements for making sure children are safe and stay safe and performance against 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).

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Annual children’s services assessment

The annual assessment derives from a four point scale:

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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

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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 2009, 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

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Children’s services assessment Performs well (3)

Children’s services in East Riding of Yorkshire Council perform well.

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Children’s services assessment Performs well (3)

The large majority of types of services, settings and institutions inspected by Ofsted are good or better. For example, the three schools for children with special educational needs and both further education colleges are good. All nursery schools are at least good and much of the childcare provision is good too. Around two thirds of primary schools are good but only half of secondary schools and sixth forms. Only a small number of schools are inadequate. The local fostering and adoption agencies are good as are both local authority children’s homes for those in care.

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Children’s services assessment Performs well (3)

The joint area review in November 2008 found that services for both safeguarding and looked after children were good. An unannounced inspection of front-line child protection services in October 2010 found one area of strength and no areas for priority action.

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Children’s services assessment Performs well (3)

National performance measures show the very large majority of outcomes are in line with or above the averages for England or for similar areas. However, results for children at the end of their Reception Year in school are below those of similar areas and show a drop over time. In national tests 11-year-olds and 16-year-olds do as well as their peers elsewhere but there has been no improvement over recent years at the age of 11. Examination results for students aged 16 have not improved as quickly as in similar areas. Behaviour is not good in enough secondary schools and the number with good or outstanding behaviour has fallen. The gaps in achievement between all 11-year-olds and those from low-income families or who have special educational needs are widening. Nineteen-year-olds do well in achieving qualifications and there has been a good improvement in the number from low- income families in the East Riding who gain five good GCSEs or equivalent

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Children’s services assessment Performs well (3)

Key areas for further development ƒ Stop the decline in achievement at the end of the Reception Year. ƒ Increase the rate of improvement in attainment at the ages of 11 and 16, including for children from groups whose circumstances have made them vulnerable. ƒ Improve standards of behaviour in secondary schools.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Nearly all services and settings are good at encouraging children and young people to live healthy lives. Improvements in the local area include increased parental satisfaction with services for disabled children and more children saying that parks and playgrounds provided for them are good. The number of children who are too overweight at the ages of five and 11 rose between 2007 and 2009, although there was a reduction in 2009 in the number of 11-year-olds. This is a priority for improvement in the local area. There is good local knowledge of how many mothers are still breast-feeding after six weeks although the number is similar to that found nationally and has gone down this year. The number of 16-year-olds who report that they have recently been drunk or taken drugs is similar to other areas but has shown a good reduction this year.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Arrangements for keeping children and young people safe are almost always good and Ofsted’s inspections of services and settings confirm this. Integrated working is a key priority for the local area and good local services work well together to protect children at risk of harm. Social care delivery teams have recently been realigned to 13 locality teams and a single point of access to help improve services. The most recent unannounced inspection of front-line child protection services reported that the work of the children with disabilities team was a particular strength. However, it continued to note that thresholds for referral to social care by other agencies were not clearly and consistently understood. It also noted that, although some examples of good assessments were seen, quality was variable and that a significant proportion were not completed within statutory timescales. Recent data show a good

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Outcomes for children and young people

improvement in how long children in care are able to stay in their placements. Within the community, fewer children and young people than nationally are admitted to hospital because they are injured, either accidentally or deliberately. However, too many young people feel bullied.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Inspection by Ofsted shows most services and settings are good at helping children and young people to do well and enjoy their learning with particularly strong performance in services and settings for children and young people whose circumstances have made them more vulnerable. However, results of national assessments and tests are not as positive. Achievement has declined for children at the end of their Reception Year in school. The number of primary schools not reaching the expected standards rose in 2009. Although helping children to reach similar standards to their peers elsewhere, primary schools are not enabling them to make good improvements and provisional data for 2010 show a drop in performance. Standards have risen slowly over time in secondary schools and, by the age of 16, just over half of young people gain five or more good GCSEs. This is similar to elsewhere. However, fewer pupils gain two or more good GCSEs in science

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Outcomes for children and young people

than elsewhere and the number taking science A levels has gone down slightly. The number of 14- to 19-year-olds studying for diplomas started slowly but the local authority reports this has increased considerably.

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Outcomes for children and young people

In the Children and Young People’s Plan the local authority and its partners set out their intention to refresh the strategy for wider participation and engagement for all children and young people to make sure they help to shape service delivery. The local authority has had an active Youth Assembly and Children in Care Council for a number of years. It has recently introduced ‘V Talent’ – a national initiative aimed at inspiring 16- to 25-year-olds to volunteer to work with children’s services and has recruited 15 young advisors to help develop greater consultation and involvement. Most services and settings are good at involving young people in decision making and activity in their communities; pupil referral units, the local adoption agency and one of the children’s homes are not quite as good at this. The number of young people who take part in organised activities in their area is similar to other areas but

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Outcomes for children and young people

improved well this year. Re-offending by young people in the East Riding is comparable with similar areas and by most measures the youth offending service works reasonably well. The number of young people who have been caught breaking the law for the first time has reduced significantly and is similar to that elsewhere. A high number of young people who offend are found a suitable place to live.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Most young people receive good support to gain the skills and qualifications needed for the world of work although their future economic well-being is less well promoted in secondary schools and one of the pupil referral units. There are more 17-year-olds in schools, colleges or other training than in similar areas. Figures are in line with similar areas for the number of 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, work or training; however, the number has risen considerably this year, despite a number of local initiatives, and there is a risk that the target set for 2010/11 will not be met. The local authority is keen to ensure that young people do as well as they can at the age of 19 and improvement for all groups whose circumstances have made them vulnerable is a key priority. Young people, including those from low-income families, continue to do well in achieving five good GCSEs or equivalent qualifications by the

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Outcomes for children and young people

age of 19. The number who get two A levels or similar qualifications by this age is in line with other areas. Young people from low-income families do not do as well at this level and the gap in their achievement with that of their peers widened in 2009. Recent data show that more care leavers than found nationally are in education, work or training, although the number that have a suitable place to live has gone down.

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Prospects for improvement

Children’s services performed well in 2009 and continue to do so. Effective leadership across a range of services and settings is confirmed by inspection. The local authority’s management team was highly commended in the 2010 Local Government Chronicle awards and both the previous and most recent inspection of front-line child protection services found good support for staff and that morale was high. The most recent inspection also noted a low level of staff vacancies and that staff workloads were manageable. The local area’s refresh and review of its Children and Young People’s Plan is clear about what still needs to be done, although there is insufficient focus on improving standards in primary schools. External examinations show standards are slow to improve by the age of 16. However, a number of initiatives, including the ‘Two Year Old’ pilot and the Brokerage service for families in need, are providing more opportunities for children under the age of five to enjoy and achieve.

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Prospects for improvement

Ofsted’s monitoring visits to weaker schools show that the local authority is providing good support, guidance and challenge to help them get better.

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Prospects for improvement

This children’s services assessment is provided in accordance with section 138 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

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Prospects for improvement

Juliet Winstanley Divisional Manager, Children’s Services Assessment

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