Agenda item

To consider a report of the Executive Director Core Services and the Executive Director People (Item 5a attached) in respect of a report on Barnsley’s Provisional Education Outcomes for Looked After Children 2017 (item 5b attached). 

The following witnesses were welcomed to the meeting:

Margaret Libreri, Service Director - Education, Early Start and Prevention, People Directorate

Gary Kelly, Head of Service – Barnsley Schools’ Alliance, People Directorate

Liz Gibson, Virtual Headteacher for Looked After Children, People Directorate

Jon Banwell, Head of Children in Care Services, People Directorate

Cllr Tim Cheetham, Cabinet Member, People (Achieving Potential)

The item was introduced by Liz Gibson, Virtual Headteacher for Looked After Children, People Directorate.  The report outlined the education outcomes for Looked After Children (LAC) in Barnsley, broken down by pupil group, from assessments taken in 2017.  The report provided an overview from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to Key Stage 4 (KS4), comparing the performance of Barnsley LAC against all children nationally and all Barnsley children.  A further report will be provided in March 2018 once the Statistical First Release (SFR) data has been released nationally.

The SFR cohort for 2016/17 comprises all pupils looked after by Barnsley on 31^st March 2017 who have been in care continuously for the previous 12 months. The SFR cohort for 2016/17 was very small, with only 5 children fulfilling the criteria for inclusion in the data. 

Questions were asked and challenges made in response to the report and introductory presentation, which included the following points:

·         There is a robust system in place for daily monitoring of LAC school attendance.  This happens whether the school is an Academy or not.  If a child is not in school, the reason for absence is determined and Foster Carers or Social Workers take action as appropriate.  If children are missing school this triggers an absenteeism report.  Nationally LAC have poorer educational outcomes, therefore school attendance is crucial.  Education Welfare are in regular contact with every school who has a Looked After Child and weekly placement oversight meetings take place.

·         Only 14.2% of BMBC children in care in the SFR cohort achieved the national standard for phonics.  This cohort has a high proportion of children with special educational needs and an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).  Improving phonic outcomes for children in care is a priority and work is underway to support this outcome through the ‘Letterbox Literacy’ project, whereby children receive age-appropriate books and activities through the post for 6 months from the summer to Christmas to help them with this.  Foster carers will receive training on how best to support the children in their care with phonics.

·         Welfare calls are made for those children who are persistently absent from school.  All children attendance is tracked. There are currently 12 children whose attendance is of concern.  Sometimes there is a valid reason for absence such as a hospital operation etc. The Educational Psychology service explores the barriers to education for these children.

·         Members were assured that there is a robust system in place for retaining personal information, which is fully compliant with data regulation requirements and is regularly tested for breaches.  Information on children placed for adoption is not included, as they will have a new identity once the adoption takes place.  Over 120 other Local Authorities use the same IT system.

·         The Letterbox Literacy project and Welfare Call initiative were taken from other Local Authorities’ best practice – a Yorkshire and Humberside good practice development plan is currently being developed.  The Care4Us Council has been instrumental in developing the Virtual School web pages, arising as a direct result of children’s wishes and feelings which were fed into the Care4Us Council.

RESOLVED that

(i)            Representatives be thanked for their attendance and contribution;

(ii)          The report be noted.