Maidenhead & Windsor

Children and young people in the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough continue to benefit from services that have now been given the Ofsted seal of approval.

The 2007 annual performance assessment (APA), published this week, gives the Windsor and Maidenhead council an overall Grade 3 (good) rating, with even more improvements for children and young people during the past year. In particular, it commends the outcomes for achieving economic wellbeing and the ‘significant development’ in the range and breadth of vocational provisions for 14-16-year-olds.

Individual Grade 3 ratings were awarded for the specific outcome categories of: staying safe, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution, achieving economic wellbeing and capacity to improve. There was a Grade 2 rating in the being healthy category.

The APA says that the Windsor and Maidenhead council responded positively to the recommendations contained in last year’s joint area review, which looked at how children benefit from services provided by the council individually and in conjunction with its partner organisations.

It also highlights how the creation of the new learning and care directorate in 2006 was a catalyst for driving forward improvements. The directorate provides increasingly strong and effective leadership and consistency in its drive to provide high quality services to improve the lives of children, particularly the most vulnerable.

A letter from Juliet Winstanley, divisional manager of the local inspection team, said: “Overall the council has demonstrated good progress in meeting the joint area review recommendations and has shown a good capacity to maintain and improve further its services for children and young people.”

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead children’s services, said she was delighted by the APA result and paid tribute to everyone concerned – including children and young people themselves – for their contribution to this achievement.

She said: “One of the most exciting parts of our continuing improvement is the growing involvement of young people in helping the council plan the services they use. They are actively encouraged to participate in making the decisions that help shape local services and they played a valuable part helping us identify our priorities for the Children and Young People’s Plan. Indeed, the APA highlighted how their views brought about real changes in services and we look forward to even higher levels of participation in the future.

“It is only by listening to young people themselves that we can continue to make services relevant to their needs as they grow and develop towards adulthood.”

The APA makes a number of recommendations to support continuing service improvement and Jim Gould, corporate director of Windsor and Maidenhead learning and care, explained that work was already under way to take these forward.

He said: “We are very pleased that inspectors have recognised the good outcomes being achieved. However, we appreciate there is always more that can be done and I know that everyone in my directorate remains totally committed to working with our schools and other partners in the best interests of children and young people here in the Royal Borough.”

The overall grade for children’s services feeds into the Audit Commission’s comprehensive performance assessment of the council to be published next month.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead