Oldham children's services 'excellent'

Excellent OFSTED for Oldham Children's Services. Taken at St Luke's Primary School, Chadderton. (back) L-R: Michael Jameson (OMBC Director of Children's Services), Cllr Hugh MacDonald (Cabinet Member), Ian Walsh (St Luke's Headteacher). Pupils L-R: Uneeb Mohammed, Hannah Trelfa and Annie Yip.

OLDHAM’S children’s services have achieved top marks for the second year in a row.

The council department has been awarded a top grade of “performing excellently” by Ofsted — putting it in the top 18 per cent of all local authorities.

It is the only council in Greater Manchester to receive the highest rating in the 2011 annual assessment findings published today.

The education watchdog highlighted several improvements in Oldham and found:

The very large majority of provision for under-fives in nurseries and primary schools is good or better.

The large majority of primary schools continue to be good or better. Almost a quarter are outstanding.

The majority of secondary schools are good or better. None are inadequate.

Of the six colleges and sixth-forms inspected, three are outstanding, two are good and one is satisfactory.

Two of the borough’s special schools are outstanding, as is its pupil referral unit for pupils who have been excluded or face being excluded.

Fostering services continue to be outstanding.

All 11 children’s homes are good or better. Five are outstanding.

Ofsted says that a large majority of children’s achievements are at least in line with those in similar areas or nationally. The attainment of poorer and Asian children is catching up with their contemporaries.

But more than a third of early years and childcare providers are still no better than satisfactory.

In 2003, Oldham’s children’s services were at rock bottom, with the Government threatening to privatise the failing council department.

Delighted Councillor Hugh McDonald, Cabinet member for children, said: “We have maintained our position as one of the best councils in the country when it comes to the provision of children’s services.

“I think this ‘excellent’ rating is even more impressive when you consider how we have managed to keep consistently high levels of service despite cuts in Government funding. This great result is down to the leadership and hard work of all staff, schools, colleges, social care workers and our partners in health and the private, independent and voluntary sectors.”

The majority of local authorities in England are providing good or better children’s services: 28 are excellent, 71 are performing well, 33 are adequate and 15 are poor.

Michael Jameson, Oldham’s director of children’s services, added: “Everyone at the council is extremely proud that this assessment recognises how we have strived to maintain excellent services for all our young people and families.”