Councils must be given academy intervention powers, says LGA

The Local Government Association (LGA) has called on the government to give local authorities the power to tackle poorly performing academies and free schools.

The comments followed the publication of Ofsted’s annual report which highlighted concerns about “mediocre” teaching and leadership in some schools and the lack of consistent performance standards across regions.

The report finds that 60 per cent of pupils now attend primary schools graded as good or better in all but three local authorities, compared with 23 councils in 2011/12. However, there are 13 local authorities where less than half of all pupils attend a good or outstanding secondary school.

It recognises that some councils have been rebuffed in their attempts to engage poorly performing academies but says they must do more to drive up standards.

“If local authorities are to play any future part in raising standards, they must use their existing powers more effectively and encourage the systematic involvement of good and outstanding leaders to support weaker schools,” it states.

But David Simmonds, chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said questions about the performance of academies need to be “asked elsewhere” because councils don’t have powers to intervene.

He said: “Councils already have a role to play in driving and supporting school improvement, but no power to intervene in academies or keep an eye on academy finances.

“We know council oversight of schools works and with first-hand knowledge of their local area, councils are in a much stronger position to intervene at an early stage than an academy chain in another county or a civil servant in Whitehall.

“Councils have a responsibility for school improvement – now give us the funding and powers to intervene in any struggling school.”

In his annual report, chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw also highlighted the “significant underachievement” of children from low-income families, particularly among white children, and the need for schools to manage classroom behaviour better, as problems that need addressing.

He said: “It is not an exaggeration to report that the story of our schools and colleges today is a tale of two nations. Children from similar backgrounds with similar abilities, but who happen to be born in different regions and attend different schools and colleges, can end up with widely different prospects because of the variable quality of their education.

“Classrooms must be orderly places. Around 700,000 pupils attend schools where behaviour needs to improve. Unless this changes, teachers will struggle to create an environment in which all children learn well.”

Wilshaw also announced that from January 2014, Ofsted inspectors will carry out unannounced visits to schools that have previously had problems with poor classroom behaviour.

Source: CYPnow

10,000 children ‘not attending school’

As many as 10,000 children are missing out on full-time education, with many of them left vulnerable to abuse or getting involved in antisocial behaviour, Ofsted has warned.

Following visits by Ofsted inspectors to 15 local authorities, it was found that a combined total of 1,400 children were being educated part time.

Extrapolated across all local authorities in England, this would mean more than 10,000 children are missing out on full-time education.

A report by the regulator warned that the children were at risk of being “invisible to local authorities”.

“If no-one in authority knows what education these children and young people receive each week, or whether they even attend, they not only miss out on education but can be vulnerable to abuse,” Ofsted chief inspector Michael Wilshaw said.

“Everyone must take greater responsibility for knowing where they are.”

Inspectors found that the main reasons children were missing education was because they had been permanently excluded; have social and behavioural problems; mental health or other medical problems; are pregnant; or have complex needs.

Inspectors found that some authorities were good at ensuring no children “slip out of sight”. However, other local authorities were failing to properly arrange and monitor education for children directly in their care.

Only a third of the local authorities visited for the survey were found to keep a close enough eye on these children and gather information and analyse it centrally.

“It is simply not acceptable that only a third of local authorities have a detailed understanding of what is happening to pupils who are not receiving full-time education,” Wilshaw added.

“Ofsted is shining a spotlight on these failings.

“Our new arrangements for inspecting children’s social care services, which starts this month, will request a specific report on school-age children who are not attending full-time education.

“Everyone must take greater responsibility for knowing where these children are. We owe it to them to ensure they are safe and can succeed.”

The report recommends that local authorities and schools should establish a central record of children not accessing full-time education, including those who are accessing alternative provision full-time away from mainstream school.

They should also identify clear lines of accountability and share information across local authority boundaries and other agencies.

Children’s commissioner for England, Maggie Atkinson said many of the findings echo those of her inquiry into school exclusions.

“I also found evidence of children being illegally excluded from school, and of local authorities who could not tell me how many of their children were not receiving education,” she said.

“I strongly endorse Ofsted’s recommendation that local authority inspections should examine the location of children not in school.

“This should encompass all children in the area, not just those in local authority schools.”

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union, said that local authorities’ ability to ensure all children receive a suitable education had been “systematically undermined” by the government.

“The coalition government’s structural reform has fragmented the school system and severed important links between schools and local authorities.

“Savage cuts to local authority budgets mean that capacity within local authority services to ensure children are receiving a suitable education has been severely reduced.”

Source: CYPNow

Stonewall is excited to launch a flagship new campaign this Anti-Bullying Week, supported by Musmnet and Will Young. We’ll be asking schools and supporters to help us tackle the endemic levels of homophobic language in Britain’s schools.

THE PROBLEM

Young people are hearing the damaging phrases ‘that’s so gay’ and ‘you’re so gay’ every single day at school.

▪    99 per cent of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people hear phrases such as ‘that’s so gay’ or ‘you’re so gay’ in schooL

▪    Only 10 per cent of gay young people say that staff intervene every time they hear homophobic language

▪    84 per cent of gay young people are distressed when they hear the word ‘gay’ used as an insult

THE CAMPAIGN

To tackle this problem, Stonewall has teamed up with Will Young and Mumsnet to give schools, teachers and young people the tools they need to challenge homophobic language.

We’ve created new posters and guidance for both pupils and teachers across the country that will challenge misuse of the word gay.

Source: http://www.stonewall.org.uk/at_school/education_for_all/quick_links/9291.asp

Academy chains should face Ofsted inspection, say MPs

Ofsted should be given powers to inspect organisations that run chains of academies, says a report from a cross-party committee of MPs.

The Education Select Committee wants to improve the way groups of schools work together in partnerships.

More than half of secondary schools in England are now academies, operating outside local authority control.

Graham Stuart, committee chairman, said schools needed clearer incentives to “look beyond their own school gate”.

Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw has previously said he believes that sponsors of such academy chains should face inspections.

Co-ordinating schools

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Ofsted already inspects all school and academy performance, while the Department for Education examines the performance of chains.

“Where academies are underperforming, we take action – this can involve issuing a pre-

The report by MPs has examined partnerships and co-operation between schools, against a background of greater school autonomy and different levels of accountability.

Mr Stuart says his committee supports giving schools “more freedom to innovate” but there also needs to be a “degree of co-ordination”.

“Otherwise there is a danger that many schools will operate in isolation rather than in co-operation,” said Mr Stuart.

The report says that while there is widespread support for the idea of raising standards through greater collaboration there is still a lack of incentive for schools to work together.

It argues that local authorities have a “critical role” in improving schools and calls on the government to clarify how they can act as brokers between local schools.

‘Middle tier’

But with the expansion of academies, it says that academy chains will play an increasingly important part in helping schools to improve.

It warns of the need for co-ordination from this “middle tier”, between individual schools and central government, particularly in areas where schools are at risk of underperforming.

The Education Select Committee MPs say that academy chains should be open to inspection by Ofsted, in the way that local authorities can be inspected.

The committee also argues there should be a mechanism to allow outstanding schools to leave academy chains, including without the approval of the organisation running the chain.

The MPs also raise concerns that some outstanding academies are not providing support for weaker neighbouring schools and the report calls for closer monitoring.

Sir Michael Wilshaw, giving evidence to the committee earlier this year, told MPs that there needed to be a level playing field in the accountability of organisations running groups of schools.

“We will be inspecting local authorities and we should inspect academy chains as well, if we identify underperformance,” said the Ofsted chief.

“I have made that clear to the secretary of state. It is only fair and equitable that we do that. We have not got the same powers at the moment, but I look forward to receiving the powers to do that.”

Raising standards

Sir Michael told MPs that there was an “ongoing discussion” with the Department for Education, but he thought the principle had been accepted.

He also backed the idea that academy chains could be ranked in performance tables in the same way as local authorities.

There are now 3,444 academies, representing 53% of secondary schools and 9% of primaries in England.

Among these there are 1,600 schools in academy chains, up from fewer than 900 in autumn 2012.

“Hundreds of schools are now collaborating on a scale never witnessed before – brilliant heads and teachers are working together, sharing best practice and driving improvement throughout the system, raising standards for their pupils,” said a Department for Education spokesman.

Labour’s schools minister Kevin Brennan said: “Labour has long argued that collaboration between schools is what is needed if we are to deliver a step-change in standards across all schools. In June, we said that all schools would have to demonstrate effective collaboration with weaker schools for them to be rated as outstanding by Ofsted.

“This report – by a cross-party group of MPs – is a damning indictment of David Cameron’s schools policy that drives competition between schools instead of incentivising partnerships between them.”

What do you think ??

Source: BBC News

Children-in-need data indicates referrals decline

The number of children-in-need referrals is at its lowest level for three years, according to latest government figures.

The Department for Education (DfE) children-in-need census figures for 2012/13 show that 593,500 referrals were made to children’s services. This is a 1.9 per cent fall on the previous year’s figure of 605,100 and the lowest since the first census was compiled in 2009/10. But despite the drop in referrals the number of children granted the status rose slightly during the same period from 369,400 to 378,600. Children-in-need status covers a range of services including family support, leaving care, disability support and adoption. The area with the highest rate of children in need is Middlesbrough, where the rate is 785.3 per 10,000 children. The lowest is Wokingham with a rate of 154.4. A slightly higher proportion of boys (53 per cent) are given the status and the largest age group within the children in need population is 10 to 15 years old, which is similar to the previous year. The figures also show that an increasing amount of children are being given child-in-need status due to abuse or neglect. The proportion rose from 45.5 per cent to 47.3 per cent between 2011/12 and 2012/13 and remains the most common reason for the status. In addition, the number of children at risk of harm subject to a child protection plan has risen by 1.1 per cent to 52,700 in 2012/13. Also, fewer children in need are being re-referred to children’s services, the figures show. The proportion of re-referrals dipped from 26.1 per cent in 2011/12 to 24.9 per cent in 2012/13. Nushra Mansuri, professional officer at the British Association of Social Workers (BASW), said a possible cause for the drop in referrals and increase in children in need and child protection cases was that councils were getting better at identifying children that need support. Improvements she cites include the creation of multi-agency safeguarding hubs (Mashs), where social workers work alongside police and other children’s professionals to filter referrals and prioritise cases. She said: “There have been developments such as the creation of Mashs, which are improving the way referrals are dealt with and prioritised.”

Source: CYPNow

Youth reoffending rate reaches 10-year high

The number of young offenders who go on to commit further crimes has risen to the highest level for more than a decade, latest figures show

Ministry of Justice statistics show that of the 74,684 10- to 17-year-olds who were either cautioned, or handed a community or custodial sentence in 2011, 26,819 reoffended within 12 months – a rate of 35.9 per cent.

This represents an increase of 0.6 per cent on 2010 when the rate was 35.3 per cent and is higher than at any other time over the last 11 years in which comparative full calendar year figures are available.

Frances Done, chair of the Youth Justice Board, said: “The reoffending rate of a small group of young people in England and Wales remains high and these latest figures emphasise this.

“However this must be viewed against the wider context, which shows the overall level of youth offending is falling and the number of first-time entrants is continuing to reduce.

“As a result the youth justice system now manages a smaller cohort, consisting of the most prolific, difficult and challenging young people.

“Notwithstanding this, it remains one of our priorities, to ensure this group receives the most effective rehabilitation, along with support around education and welfare, to ensure they lead a life free from crime and help reduce reoffending in the future.”

Although the overall reoffending rate increased, the rate for young offenders released from custody in 2011 has gone down.

The statistics show it has fallen to 70.7 per cent, a fall of 0.3 of a percentage point compared to the previous 12 months and fall of 6.1 percentage points since 2000.

Meanwhile, separate Ministry of Justice statistics show that the number of antisocial behaviour orders (Asbos) being issued to children and young people has fallen to its lowest level since 2002.

In 2012, a total of 273 Asbos were issued to 10- to 17-year-olds, a 27.2 per cent fall on the 2011 figure of 375.

The figures show there has been a steady and dramatic fall in the number of Asbos issued to children and young people since the peak in 2005 when 1,581 were issued.

The statistics also showed that since 2000, juveniles are more likely than adults to breach their order.

They account for a disproportionate number of Asbo breaches, 44 per cent, despite accounting for just 37 per cent of Asbos issued. In total, nearly two-thirds of young people breached their Asbo.

Asbos are set to be replaced by new measures to tackle antisocial behaviour, which are currently being legislated for in the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill going through parliament.

Penelope Gibbs, chair of the Standing Committee for Youth Justice, suggested the fall in Asbos issued to young people is because they are ineffective in preventing reoffending.

“Nearly two-thirds of children breach their Asbos, which means the restrictions did not work.

“Asbos are a very blunt instrument to deal with problematic behaviour.

“If it’s really low-level troublemaking, it would be better dealt with through restorative justice.

“Most serious ‘anti-social behaviour’ incidents are, in fact, crimes and would be better dealt with in the justice system.”

Source: CYPNow

Drop term-time holiday ban, urges petition

A petition demanding the government reverse a ban on schoolchildren in England taking holidays during term-time will be delivered later.

The 126,000-signature document will be given to the Department for Education.

Campaigners say many families cannot afford the higher cost of a break during the school holidays.

The DfE said it was giving schools more freedom to set term dates – potentially meaning parents could book cheaper holidays.

‘Educational’

Until last month, heads could grant up to 10 days’ leave a year for family holidays in “special circumstances”.

Since 1 September, head teachers have no longer been able to grant any absence outside school holidays except under “exceptional circumstances”.

The reference to the 10-day limit has been removed from the regulations.

A petition against the ban, started by a parent and hosted on the 38-Degrees Campaigns By You website, had attracted 126,275 signatures by Tuesday evening.

The petition says the ban will “adversely affect” families who cannot afford the higher prices charged to holidaymakers during the school holidays.

“Also not all businesses can allow their staff to be off all at the same time”, says the petition.

“All children who have a good attendance record should be allowed the opportunity to enjoy quality time with their parents on an annual holiday of up to 10 days once per year.”

Craig Langman, the parent who started the petition, told BBC News his six-year-old son still recalls a holiday the family took to Rome during term-time two years ago and has done school projects based on the trip.

“It was probably more educational than being in school to be honest.

‘Blanket ban’

“He still remembers the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum.”

Mr Langman says the cost of breaks during the school holidays can be three times as much as during term-time.

“I am not asking kids to have a guaranteed extra two weeks on top of their existing 10 weeks’ holiday each year – but this blanket ban on term-time holidays with the threat of a fine is almost killing families.”

He argues that the decision as to whether to grant a request for extra days off school should remain with head teachers.

“I feel that most MPs in the government had holidays with their parents when they were younger so why do they think they have the power to stop our children’s generation from enjoying the same lifestyle,” says Mr Langman.

“Soon only rich kids would be able to go on holiday and that’s unfair on everyone else.”

A DfE spokesperson said: “If children aren’t in school they lose out on valuable learning time and have to waste more time catching up. That’s why children shouldn’t be taken out of school during term time unless absolutely necessary.

“We are giving all schools the freedom to set their own term dates, for example David Young Community Academy in Leeds operates a seven-term year starting in June. This means that parents and teachers can benefit from cheaper holidays at the end of September.

“We want schools to consider changes to term dates that will work for their pupils and their families.”

Childline has launched a mobile phone application to help combat the issue of “sexting”. The Zipit application allows users to refuse requests for explicit images of themselves by instead choosing a response from a range of options.

The charity says that sexting among teenagers, in which sexual images or videos are sent via mobile phone or the internet, has become so common that “it is considered mundane”.

Young people in London are increasingly more likely to attend university than their peers in the rest of England, a study has found.

A report by the Higher Education Funding Council for England found that London had the highest levels of participation between 1998/99, with the proportion becoming greater still by 2011/12, rising from 35 per cent to 48 per cent.

Young people in London are now 43 per cent more likely to go to university than young people from the North East, the region where young people are least likely to go on to higher education.

Source: CYPNow

Child protection experts at the National Crime Agency (NCA) have warned that institutions such as schools, churches and care homes are still not safe from child sex abusers.

A report by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop), which is now part of the agency, said that more needs to be done by the institutions as well as sports clubs, youth groups, charities and companies, to protect children.

Peter Davies, director of the NCA’s CEOP Command, said: “This work has to be done by the very institutions which are allowing this abuse to take place. Vigilance, strong leadership and management, and a safe environment to report are essential for institutions and form the foundations of safeguarding.”

Source: CYPNow