The Children's, Young Persons & Education Scrutiny Committee met to discuss educational outcomes, inclusion and partnerships, and the Virtual School Head Annual Report. The committee approved recommendations related to each of these topics, including a request for regular updates on the progress of the Family Hubs programme and on inclusion outcomes. The committee also noted the work programme for the coming year.

Analysis of 2025 Educational Outcomes

The committee reviewed the published educational attainment outcomes for North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) at the end of the 2024-25 academic year. The report presented by Simon Bissett, Head of Educational Effectiveness, highlighted emerging trends, improvements, and areas of concern across all phases and key pupil groups.

While there were examples of strong and improving practice within individual schools, the report noted that no key stage currently meets national averages, and the attainment gap between vulnerable groups and their peers remains significant. Specifically:

• Early Years and Key Stage 1 outcomes remain below national averages.
• Key Stage 2 outcomes demonstrate some recovery in reading and maths, but writing remains an area of weakness.
• Key Stage 4 results have not yet reached national standards for progress or attainment, and the gap for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) persists.
• Post-16 outcomes show ongoing challenges in Level 2 attainment, although participation rates remain stable.

The committee resolved to:

• Support the continued focus on the improvement of standards within all educational settings with NNC, in particular local authority maintained settings, via the Education Improvement Framework, particularly focusing on the statutory duty¹.
• Support the work of the Education Effectiveness team in their work as set out in the Education Improvement Framework and continue the development of the revised structure to assist this improvement work.
• Request that officers establish measurable targets for improvement at each key stage and for vulnerable groups, with annual progress updates to members of the committee.

Educational Inclusion and Partnerships

Sarah Johnson, Inclusion Lead, presented a report providing an overview and analysis of inclusion across North Northamptonshire's education system, with a focus on attendance, exclusions, and Elective Home Education (EHE). The report aimed to support scrutiny in understanding current trends, areas of strength, and challenges in ensuring that all children and young people access and engage with education effectively.

The report highlighted that persistent and severe absence, exclusion, and EHE are often interlinked and reflect the experiences of pupils with additional needs or those facing barriers to engagement. Patterns suggest the need for cross-phase intervention, focused on attendance culture, early identification of need, and consistent application of inclusive practice across all school types.

The committee resolved to:

• Note the findings of this report on inclusion across North Northamptonshire, particularly trends in attendance, persistent absence, suspensions, permanent exclusions and Elective Home Education (EHE).
• Support the development of a targeted Improvement Plan that draws together findings from this analysis and the Alternative Provision (AP) Review, with a focus on early intervention, relational practice and reducing the need for exclusion and/or movement into EHE.
• Endorse the continued implementation of the Alternative Provision plan, ensuring a sustainable, high-quality AP offer that meets local need and aligns with Department for Education (DfE) and Ofsted continued focus on inclusion.
• Support the requests that the Local Authority and partners work collaboratively with schools, trusts and health services to establish a sustained approach to improve attendance and reduce suspensions and exclusions.
• Request a further update to Scrutiny in 12 months, providing comparative data to evaluate progress in inclusion outcomes, attendance, AP usage and sustainability indicators.

Virtual School Head Annual Report 2024/2025

Charlotte Franks, Virtual School Head, presented the annual report for 2024/2025, providing a comprehensive account of the Virtual School's statutory duties, operational structure, activities, performance outcomes, and strategic priorities. The Northamptonshire Virtual School promotes the educational achievement of children in care to North Northamptonshire Council and West Northamptonshire Council, wherever they live or are educated. The Virtual School team work with colleagues in social care and education services, and professionals at schools and settings, to ensure that children in care are accessing education, and that high-quality plans and support are in place.

The report highlighted key strengths, including high compliance and quality in Personal Education Plans (PEPs), rigorous quality assurance processes, positive practitioner support to settings, and strong partnerships with Educational Psychology Services. The Virtual School has also made progress in streamlining internal systems, exploring the use of Power BI² and AI for data analysis, and enhancing multiagency collaboration.

The committee resolved to request that officers provide an update in 12 months with clear metrics and timelines and share best practice/learning across the Council, as well as with external partners.

Children, Young Person & Education Scrutiny Committee - Work Programme

The committee noted the Scrutiny Work Plan as it relates to the Children’s, Young Persons and Education Scrutiny Committee.