The Family and Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Northumberland Council met on Thursday 3 September 2026. The meeting's agenda included discussions on the Annual Report for the School Improvement Team, the Best Start in Life Plan, and attendance rates in Northumberland.

Annual Report for the School Improvement Team

The committee was scheduled to review the performance of the School Improvement Team for the academic year 2025-2026. This report aimed to provide oversight and assurance regarding school improvement activities across Northumberland. The report was intended to allow the committee to comment on the team's ability to support and develop leadership within schools, offer further direction for their ongoing operations, and note the impact of funding changes imposed by the Department for Education (DfE).

The report detailed the current Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, which evaluates schools across several areas including Safeguarding, Inclusion, Curriculum and Teaching, Achievement, Attendance and Behaviour, Personal Development and Wellbeing, and Leadership and Governance. It noted that during the 2025-2026 academic year, 25 Northumberland schools received routine inspections, with one monitoring inspection. The School Improvement Service itself comprises several teams, including Early Years, Equalities, Northumberland Music, School Governance and Data Protection, the School Improvement Team, and School's IT, overseeing 40 statutory responsibilities. The report highlighted the impact of academisation and the shift towards Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) influencing how schools access improvement services. It also detailed the support provided to schools, including the School Improvement Team's work with the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and Newcastle Research School (NRS) on mathematics education, and the management of a website offering support and guidance to Northumberland schools. Specific successes were noted for Beaufront First School and Cambois Primary School, where the team provided extensive support.

Best Start in Life Plan

A summary of the new Best Start in Life Plan for 2026-2028 was presented to the committee. This plan aligns with the Corporate Plan priorities of Tackling Inequalities and Achieving Value for Money, aiming to ensure children and young people have the best start in life and that resources are used effectively. The plan is a response to the Government's strategy to transform early years services and ensure that 75% of five-year-olds reach a good level of development by 2028.

The plan outlines five key priorities:

• Narrowing the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.
• Supporting children's communication and language development.
• Supporting the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing of under-fives.
• Building a shared commitment to inclusive practice for all children, including those with SEND.
• Improving data and intelligence sharing across local partners for early identification of needs and service delivery.

The report noted that in Northumberland, 25.2% of school-aged pupils are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), and 35% of children are from income-deprived families. The plan sets specific targets for Northumberland to achieve the national 2028 school readiness target, with a focus on addressing attainment gaps for disadvantaged children, particularly boys.

Attendance Rates in Northumberland

The committee was provided with an overview of attendance performance in Northumberland during the 2024/25 academic year, alongside benchmarking against regional and national measures. A provisional update on attendance performance for 2025/26 was also included, along with an overview of the Local Authority's attendance improvement activities and key priorities for 2026/27.

The report indicated that overall absence in Northumberland reduced from 7.6% to 7.1% in the 2024/25 academic year, and persistent absence reduced from 20.2% to 17.8%. However, severe absence, where pupils miss more than 50% of sessions, increased from 2.44% to 2.71%. Provisional data for 2025/26 showed overall attendance at 91.7%, with persistent absence at 24.4%. The report highlighted that challenges remain, including increasing levels of severe absence, lower attendance within specialist settings, and attendance barriers linked to SEND and emotionally based school avoidance. The Local Authority's response includes working with schools on attendance improvement plans, themed workshops, and multi-agency support arrangements. Key priorities for 2026/27 include reducing severe absence, sustaining reductions in persistent absence, and strengthening support for vulnerable groups.

Reports of the Scrutiny Officer

Under this item, the committee was scheduled to note the latest Forward Plan of key decisions. Additionally, the Family and Children's Services OSC Work Programme for 2023/24 was to be considered. The previous meeting's minutes from 2 July 2026 indicated that a task and finish group would be established to investigate the use of mobile phones within schools, chaired by Councillor Michaela Horncastle.