Decision details

Bob Stott, Director for Universal and Early Support Services, and Jonathan Hewitt, Head of Quality and Continuous Improvement, Directorate for Children and Young People, attended and presented a report setting out details of the attainment, progress and achievements of Lancashire Children Looked After in 2014.

It was reported that there were over 1,600 Children Looked After in Lancashire with some 900 attending primary and secondary schools up to the age of 16. A large proportion of Children Looked After had special educational needs with around two thirds of those in Year 11 in 2014 falling into this category.

The report set out the educational performance of Children Looked After at the end of both Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4. Whilst improvements had been made to performance at Key Stage 2, the performance at Key Stage 4 remained an area of concern where performance (from unvalidated data) was 8.9% of Children Looked After attaining five or more A*- C grades at GCSE including English and Mathematics against a target of 13%. The report set out a number of possible reasons for this, together with priorities for development which had been incorporated into the recovery plan set out at Appendix 'B'.

The Cabinet Committee recognised the important role that the County Council played as the Corporate Parent for Children Looked After and welcomed the steps being taken to address the issues highlighted in the report and recovery plan.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The report and recovery plan, now presented, be noted;

(ii)  A further report be considered by the Cabinet Committee in October 2015.