Rochdale’s best providers praised

Rochdale’s best providers have been praised as Ofsted published its Annual Report for 2010/11.

The report draws on visits to schools, early years, children’s social care and learning and skills sectors across England.

In Rochdale one children’s centre, two schools and two early years and childcare organisations have been recognised as outstanding.

In Greater Manchester, 27 schools, 103 childcare providers, seven children’s centres, nine children’ social care providers and two teacher training providers have been rewarded with this top judgement in 2010/11.

This report highlights where improvements are being made but also the need for greater ambition from services for children, young people and learners that are no better than satisfactory.

Commenting on the successful achievement of all these local providers, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Miriam Rosen said: “Everyone who has contributed towards the delivery of the outstanding services across Manchester deserves our recognition. From the visits I make around the country, I know just how much hard work and dedication goes in to delivering the best outcomes for children, young people and learners. I hope others will be inspired by these successful providers.”

Across England, the Annual Report reflected positively on the decrease in the number of inadequate schools and the increased speed with which schools are coming out of ‘special measures’.

However, it also revealed that: 

• 14 per cent of schools inspected this year, nearly 800, have been judged satisfactory for the second time and only have satisfactory capacity to improve
• 16 of the 84 colleges inspected were satisfactory for the third time in a row.

The report highlights continuing concerns about the quality of provision for those children and learners from deprived backgrounds or who may be vulnerable. The more deprived the family a child comes from, the more likely they are to attend an inadequate school. The fifth of schools serving the most deprived pupils were four times more likely to be inadequate at inspection this year than the fifth of schools serving the least deprived. There are also substantial differences in quality of childcare between more and less affluent areas. But there is also evidence of how it can be done well – this year alone, 85 schools serving pupils from the most deprived families were judged outstanding and the gap in standards between early years providers in the most and least deprived areas has closed slightly.

Reflecting on the findings of the Annual Report, Miriam Rosen, HMCI, said: “Inspection is about helping services to improve so that children, young people and learners of all ages can benefit from the very best. It is therefore encouraging to see from this year’s Annual Report the strides being taken by some of those who have previously been judged to be failing.

“However, it is a concern that those very children and young people who most need the best services are often those being let down. Our inspections show that providers can be outstanding even in the most difficult circumstances. The challenge must be to help others replicate such success and Ofsted has an important part to play in this by sharing good practice and raising expectations.”