Corporate ParentingThe implications for governors

Tim Osborne – Senior School Improvement Officer and Headteacher of the Virtual School for Children in Care, CiCESS

Jane Stephens – Education Officer, CiCESS

www.cornwall.gov.uk

Aims of the session

• The background and the hard facts – the challenge

• The impact – making a difference• The statutory bit – what must be done• The implications – how do governors play their

part?• Where next?

www.cornwall.gov.uk

The background and the hard facts - 1

Yr grp

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Total

Nov 2010

0 2 10 13 11 16 12 22 18 30 33 31 44 45 10 9 306

Mar2011

1 3 10 11 12 18 15 25 21 27 39 32 48 40 7 5 314

Numbers in LA Maintained Schools as at March 2011

www.cornwall.gov.uk

The background and the hard facts - 2

• Current numbers of children in LA Maintained Schools but from other Local Authorities

• Nov 2010 - 109 • March 2011 - 124

• Current numbers of Cornish children placed in settings other than mainstream schools

• Nov 2010 - 44• March 2011 - 42

www.cornwall.gov.uk

The background and the hard facts - 3

• Attendance – in all Keystages – better than the national average for children in care and better than the county average for all children

•  • Exclusions

Exclusions 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11

Fixed Term 126 117 103 39

Permanent 3 0 0 0

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The Background and the hard facts - 5

• Personal Education Plans

• A key and statutory element for children in care.• An improving picture but inconsistencies remain

in terms of timeliness and quality.

• Guidance is available on the CiCESS website.

www.cornwall.gov.uk

The background and the hard facts

• Not enough children at Year 11 gain 5 A* - C including English and Maths

• Too much mobility in placements – especially for the older children.

• BUT –improving picture which is building from the bottom• More children are leaving Keystage 2 with Level 4+ in

English and Maths• More children are leaving Keystage 1 with assessments in

line with or better than national expectations.• Significantly more children are making good progress in

Keystages 1, 2 and 3.

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The impact – making a difference

• Keystage 1 – in line in Reading; above average in Writing; above average in Mathematics. Gap on national (all children) is closing.

• Keystage 2 – above average in English; Mathematics; Science and English and Maths combined.

• Keystage 4 - above average in:-• At least 5 A* to G; At least 5 A* to C; At least 5 A* to C inc En and

Maths.

• Some case studies:• Individuals• Groups• Schools• Settings

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The statutory bit – what must be done

• Schools must have a designated teacher (DT)• Governing Bodies should have a governor appointed to

focus upon vulnerable groups including children in care• The DT must – each year – produce a report for governors

to:- • summarise the performance of any child in care that the

school has educated; • Explain how the pupil premium - £430 – has been used to

support each child in care;• The DT should ensure that a written report is completed for

each child in care review.• The LA Children’s lead and Director have statutory duties as

described within legislation to ensure that the needs of children in care are being met through effectoive corporate parenting.

www.cornwall.gov.uk

The governors’ role

• Corporate Parenting

• One question – • “Would I be happy with this for my child?”

• Children in care are everyone’s responsibility.

• The challenge is to embed this notion as a culture, within schools and within the local authority as a whole.

www.cornwall.gov.uk

Where next?

• The new, revised Care Guidance

• The CiCESS website

• The Governing Body – ensuring that schools are prepared for, and understanding of, the need to effectively provide for children in care.

• Advice and support is always available from the CiCESS team

• www.cornwall.gov.uk/CiCESS

www.cornwall.gov.uk

Cornwall CouncilCounty HallTruro TR1 3AY

Tel: 0300 1234 100www.cornwall.gov.uk