Key findings
- A higher proportion of childcare and early education is good or outstanding this year than in 2006/07 but the level of inadequate childcare remains the same at 4%. The quality of provision varies across the sector and between areas. Overall, the quality of childcare is not as good in areas of high deprivation as elsewhere.
- Over six in 10 providers of childcare and early education inspected are good or outstanding in enabling children to stay safe, be healthy, enjoy and achieve and make a positive contribution.
- Almost two thirds of maintained schools inspected are good or outstanding, a slightly higher figure than in 2006/07, but 9% of secondary schools and 4% of primary schools are inadequate. The gap between the performance of the best and the weakest schools is unacceptable. Of special schools inspected, 80% are at least good, with 26% outstanding. Nursery schools are particularly effective: 97% of those inspected are good or outstanding.
- The proportion of pupil referral units which are at least good in their overall effectiveness is similar to that for all schools, while the percentage judged inadequate is slightly higher. However, only 7% of pupil referral units are outstanding; the proportion for schools generally is 15%.
- The large majority of non-association independent schools inspected meet at least 90% of the regulations. In just over half these schools, the quality of education provided and pupils’ achievement are good or outstanding. However, it is a major concern that about a third of non-association independent schools do not fully meet the requirements for safeguarding pupils.
- In colleges of further education, success rates for courses have continued to improve and this year an increased proportion of colleges are good or outstanding overall. In six in 10 colleges, students’ achievement is good or outstanding. Underperforming colleges fail to set challenging targets and too much of the teaching is no better than satisfactory.
- Sixth form colleges continue to be highly effective.
- There has been improvement in several areas of adult learning and skills. The sector is flexible and diverse in providing opportunities for a broad range of learners, some of whom have typically found it difficult to engage in learning or to move into sustained employment. Much remains to be done, however, to overcome the barriers faced by some of the most disadvantaged adults. The sector generally engages well with employers but scope remains for greater involvement of employers in training.
- Initial teacher education programmes are designed well and trainees are highly motivated and enthusiastic. More should be done to ensure that all trainees promote equality and inclusion in their teaching.
- Most social care provided for children in children’s homes, through adoption and fostering agencies and in residential schools is at least satisfactory overall and two thirds is good or outstanding. However, one in 12 providers are inadequate. This is a cause for concern.
- Of the children’s homes inspected between July 2007 and August 2008, two thirds are good or outstanding. However, 8% of children’s homes were inadequate at their most recent inspection. Safeguarding and management are the areas most frequently requiring improvement in inadequate children’s homes.
- National minimum standards and regulations for private fostering arrangements are not yet consistently met, and the attention and resources that local authorities give to monitoring private fostering arrangements vary. This calls into question the ability of some local authorities to improve the quality of this provision.
- In secure accommodation for children and young people, the improvements reported last year have been maintained, especially in standards of behaviour. Most young people leave with some accreditation in essential skills and there is an appropriate emphasis on raising their attainment in literacy and numeracy. However, they have too few opportunities to gain work-related skills.
- In adult prisons, while many offenders develop good skills for employment, others have too few opportunities to gain nationally recognised qualifications.
- Inspections of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), which plays an important role in safeguarding children’s welfare in family court proceedings, have been highly critical of the unacceptable variation in the quality of front-line practice, particularly in private law work.
- Most councils and their partners contribute effectively to children’s safety and welfare and to ensuring that they enjoy their education and achieve well. Educational achievement is improving overall but there is too much variation between local areas and between outcomes for some disadvantaged groups of pupils and their peers.
- There are often long delays in producing the findings of serious case reviews conducted when children have died or been seriously hurt and child abuse is thought to have been a factor. As a result, the potential for learning from these reviews to improve practice is severely limited. Lessons from recent reviews are not always leading to improvement.
To read the section on Quality and standards in care, early education, schools, colleges, adult learning and skills, and children's services, click below and download a copy of the Annual Report.
