City of York Council
York’s beauty and heritage are unique yet it faces some of the same social challenges as other cities, none being more important than that affecting its children and young people. Their life chances have steadily improved in recent years, thanks to the commitment of the local authority and its success in meeting objectives ranging from raising GCSE pass rates to reducing the number of teenagers being drawn into crime and anti-social behaviour.
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The overall effectiveness of City of York Council’s services for children and young people was rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in its latest Annual Performance Assessment (APA), which places it among the very best in the country. The council was assessed on the extent to which the city’s 39,000 children and young people were supported in five key areas: being healthy; staying safe; enjoying and achieving; making a positive contribution; and achieving economic wellbeing. |
An APA is conducted each year in every council and focuses on the contribution that its services have made in the previous 12 months towards improving outcomes for children and young people. Inspectors analyse a wide range of published evidence, including the authority’s own self-assessment reports and its children and young people’s plan. The views of pupils at randomly selected primary and secondary schools are also collected through confidential online questionnaires.
For City of York Council, Ofsted considered outcomes for education and for social care to be outstanding in nearly all aspects. Standards in schools are above average at all key stages and contribute considerably to economic well-being. There is a clear vision for developing the 14-19 curriculum and the council continuously strives for improvement in how well it provides for children and young people, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. ‘Resources are targeted well, to maximise effect,’ commented the inspectors.
The authority is adept at staying ahead of the game, with continuing involvement in initiatives aimed at further improvement, Ofsted concluded in its assessment. It has a strong track record of becoming successfully involved in innovative practice, which has been recognised at national level. Pete Dwyer
Staff have also made the most of being a unitary authority within a relatively small city – the close-knit community has made it easier to foster close relationships with headteachers and other providers and to build up a climate of trust. In addition, strong partnerships have been forged with statutory agencies, the community and voluntary sector.
Among many examples of good practice, the council has been particularly skilful in engaging young people and giving them a voice. It has consulted them on initiatives such as its anti-bullying strategy and they are represented on the executive board of the local child and adolescent mental health service. They also take part in forums where they can openly challenge council officers about their policies. Children and young people with disabilities are involved as fully as possible in decisions that affect their lives.
'Our performance is so good for a number of reasons. We have kept our focus on the key issues and recognise there are no quick fixes. We have been very creative in winning funding from national sources. We have also benefited from a strong and stable workforce – who stay not just because York is such a beautiful place to live and work. Above all, we have a positive attitude, a desire to always improve and a shared culture across partners. We truly want to make a difference to the life of every child and young person in the city,' says Pete Dwyer, City of York Council's Director of Learning Culture and Children's Services.
The APA defines the areas that will be investigated in the joint area review (JAR), which is also led by Ofsted and evaluates in more detail how well different providers of services for children and young people work together within a local authority area. The JAR for City of York Council will be published on 3 June 2008.
