Issue - meetings

Report DCYP12020

The Committee considered a report providing an update on progress against key performance indicators for Children and Young People Services for Quarter 3 (October to December) 2011.  The Committee was pleased to note that targets had so far been exceeded in a number of areas, and noted other areas where performance was behind target. 

A Member was concerned at the level of both authorised and unauthorised attendance in primary schools.  The Senior Performance, Research and Systems Officer confirmed that illness remained the main reason for student absence and that work was underway to improve attendance, including the Spike ‘Every School Day Counts’ project.  Headteachers considered each application for absence individually and events were also held for children who achieved 100% attendance.

The indicator for percentage of social care core assessments completed within 35 working days was also highlighted.  The Assistant Director: Safeguarding and Social Care confirmed that performance against the target had improved, however there had been delays experienced in completing core assessments, including information gathering and coordinating the multi-agency response.  The Chairman underlined the importance of ensuring core assessments were completed to a high standard, even if completion took longer than the required 35 days, and congratulated Officers on exceeding the 90% target for the percentage of children who had a referral for services from Children’s Social Care who then went onto an initial assessment.  

A Member noted the indicator for percentage of schools judged by Ofsted to be in category (special measures or notice to improve), and queried whether this indicator should be broadened to include schools rated ‘satisfactory’.  The Chairman confirmed that Bromley was now able to set meaningful local targets for the national curriculum tests, and proposed that the Performance Data Working Group be reconstituted before the next meeting of the Children and Young People PDS Committee to consider how to set and measure local performance targets. 

RESOLVED that:

1)  Progress against key performance indicators be noted; and,

2)  A meeting of the Performance Data Working Group be held before the next meeting of the Children and Young People PDS Committee, to consider how to set and measure local performance targets.   

Report DCYP12003

The Committee considered a report providing an update on progress against key performance indicators for Children and Young People Services in Bromley for Quarter 2 (July to September) 2011/12.  The Committee was pleased to see that targets had been exceeded in a number of areas and noted other areas where performance was behind target.

A Member queried whether the move to academy status had increased the number of permanent exclusions within the Borough.  The Director CYP confirmed that there had been an increase in the number of permanent exclusions, particularly with secondary age pupils, and that that Officers were currently in discussion with academy representatives around the tolerance thresholds of academy schools prior to exclusion.

Another Member queried the target for completion of core assessments in the required 35 days.  The Assistant Director: Safeguarding and Social Care confirmed that performance against the target had improved however there had been delays experienced in completing core assessments, including information gathering and coordinating the multi-agency response.  The Chairman highlighted the importance of ensuring core assessments were completed to a high standard, even if completion took longer than the required 35 days.  The Assistant Director: Safeguarding and Social Care noted that intervention and social care services were not precluded from working with families during the core assessment process.

A Member expressed concern around schools’ performance against the target measuring progress made in primary school between Key Stage 1 and 2, and suggested a list of schools who had not met the target be published.  The interim Assistant Director: Education confirmed that this information was available through Ofsted and in school performance tables.

A Member asked what was being done to address the rising numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the Borough.  The interim Assistant Director: Education confirmed that work was being undertaken by a range of services and partners at a national, regional and local level to support young people into education, employment and training.

RESOLVED that progress against key performance indicators in Quarter 2 2011/12 be noted.