Slough Borough Council’s services for children and young people have been awarded a rating of ‘good’ in the Annual Performance Assessment (APA) results, released on December 17.
All local authorities receive an assessment of services for children and young people carried out by Ofsted. Services are awarded a grade from one as inadequate, to four for being outstanding.
The annual performance assessment for Slough for 2008 awarded services on offer in the borough a grade three and found them to be ‘good’ overall.
The APA’s key Slough judgements were on:
* The council and partners’ children’s services and the specific contributions they make to improving outcomes for children and young people.
* The Slough council and partners’ capacity to further improve these services.
* The contribution the council and partners make towards improving each of the five areas in the Every Child Matters framework, being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and economic well-being.
Ofsted reported that Slough Borough Council makes a good contribution to improving outcomes for children and young people.
It also stated the Slough council ‘delivers services which are consistently above minimum requirements, maintaining good performance’ and advised that services have ‘good capacity to improve further’.
The report also commented on good work in schools for improving attendance, having high standards of behaviour and achieving good results. It also highlights good work with children who are looked after, and the fostering services and residential care on offer.
Clair Pyper, director of Slough children’s services for Slough Borough Council, said: “This is a great result for us, and recognises the effort put in by the council and partner agencies to provide good services for children and young people in the borough.
“We welcome Ofsted’s comments on what we can do better, which include improving the test results at Key Stage Two.
“We will build these areas for development into our work to maintain and improve services for children and young people in Slough as described in the Children and Young People’s Plan 2008-11, developed by the Slough Children’s Trust.”
Cllr Sukhjit Dhalliwal, commissioner for education and children’s services, added: “The findings of this report clearly identify the strengths of services for children and young people in the borough.
“I’d like to congratulate all involved with providing these recognised ‘good’ services.
“The council will continue to support children, young people, families, carers and service providers to ensure they provide services of the highest possible standard.”
Slough Borough Council
