Setting

Mr Andrew Flack Corporate Director for Children and Young People Derby City Council Middleton House 27 St Mary’s Gate Derby Derbyshire DE1 3NN

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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 Derby City County perform well.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

The effectiveness of schools and settings is rarely less than adequate and often good. A higher than average proportion of secondary schools and school sixth forms is good or outstanding, while very little provision across all schools and settings is judged inadequate. However, too much primary school provision remains only satisfactory. A very high proportion of nursery schools are judged to be good while childminder and childcare settings are satisfactory overall. There is a good General Further Education and Tertiary College. Provision for those whose circumstances make them vulnerable is usually good, with the majority of special schools and the pupil referral unit judged good. The local authority’s fostering agency is good, but this is the case for only three of the six children’s homes. This is not as good as similar authorities and the national picture.

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Children’s services rating Performs well (3)

Performance against the large majority of national indicators, including those for staying safe and enjoying and achieving, is in line with or above similar areas and national figures, however, there are relative weaknesses in relation to the time it takes to carry out social care child protection assessments and the low achievement of some minority ethnic groups. The gap in achievement between those from low income families increases between the ages of 11 and 16. Against the national trend, recent indicators illustrate an increasing number of young people becoming involved in crime.

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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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