Ofsted
Wakefield orders new IT following 'serious problems'
Wakefield Council has ordered the immediate procurement of a new IT system following criticism from a watchdog.
How Gateshead Council Learning & Skills is using tech to deliver quality assurance
Sonya Anderson, senior adult learning and skills manager at Gateshead Council Learning & Skills, explains the value of having an effective self-assessment and improvement planning resource.
Trafford handed improvement notice
The Government has ordered Trafford MBC to improve its inadequate children’s care within 15 months.
'Slow progress' two years after inadequate judgement
Gloucestershire CC is making ‘slow progress’ in improving its services for its children and young people two years after it was judged inadequate, Ofsted has found.
Hull commits £2m to improve ‘inadequate’ children’s services
Hull City Council has promised to ‘accelerate’ its improvement plans and invest an extra £2m into its children’s services after they were rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted.
‘Significant areas of weakness’ found in Stockton’s SEND provision
Watchdogs have criticised the pace of improvements in provision for children with special educational needs and disability (SEND) in Stockton-on-Tees.
Elvery: Improving children's outcomes is top priority after Ofsted blow
West Sussex CC’s boss Nathan Elvery has said improving outcomes for the most vulnerable children is the council’s ‘top priority’ after Ofsted rated services inadequate.
Inspectors criticise council's pace of improvement
The overall pace of improvement in Reading Council’s children’s services has ‘not been sufficient’ three years since the authority was judged inadequate, Ofsted inspectors have said.
EXCLUSIVE: Call for inspection pause in case of Brexit hit
Council chiefs have urged Whitehall to be ready to ease pressures on the sector for up to six months if Brexit threatens to stretch capacity.
Newham failing vulnerable children - Ofsted
Vulnerable children in are being ‘failed’ by Newham LBC, an Ofsted report has found.
Children ‘not being protected’ by Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Children’s social care services are ‘inadequate’ at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, according to the findings of a new Ofsted inspection.
New directors help children's services improve
A new senior leadership team has brought ‘drive, energy and focus’ to Croydon LBC’s efforts to improve after an inadequate Ofsted judgement 18 months ago, inspectors have found.
Local areas must face up to the scale of child criminal exploitation
Children's commissioner for England Anne Longfield says her recent report on improving the safeguarding response to gang violence and criminal exploitation shows many local areas are not facing up to the scale of the issue.
Public audit will soon need a spring clean
John Tizard and David Walker make the case for a new way of auditing how public money is spent that uses evidence before spending decisions are made - and includes a new office of the '3Es' (efficiency, effectiveness and equity).
Worcestershire children’s services improve
Ofsted has found Worcestershire CC has made progress in raising the standards of its children’s services.
Councils caught in the middle
Bob Neill says nailing down a robust framework to strengthen scrutiny is an essential part of the management and delivery of academies – and we still haven’t adequately filled the guardian role local authorities carry out for maintained schools
Staff turnover holding back Gloucestershire’s ‘inadequate’ children’s services
Gloucestershire CC is ‘making insufficient progress’ in improving its children’s services, according to the latest inspection.
MPs criticise Whitehall 'complacency' over inadequate children's services
A top mandarin has been accused of ‘complacency’ by MPs over the time taken to improve children’s services.
Bexley’s six pillars
Jacky Tiotto describes the six elements that drove the overall improvement and development of children’s services in Bexley LBC and took the council from an Ofsted judgement of inadequacy in 2012 to an outstanding rating in 2018
Collaboration is key in delivering the SEND reforms – a reflection on inspection
Organisations in Milton Keynes were described by Ofsted and the CQC as ‘united in their ambition for children and young people with SEND to achieve the very best outcomes’. Caroline Marriott reflects on the inspection.