The Children's & Education Select Committee of Buckinghamshire Council was scheduled to discuss the latest school standards and effectiveness report, the outcome of a recent SEND inspection, and the council's performance monitoring report for the third quarter. The meeting also included an opportunity for public questions and a review of the committee's work programme.

School Standards and Effectiveness Report

The committee was scheduled to consider the School Standards and Effectiveness Report for the 2024/2025 academic year. This report provides an overview of educational attainment and Ofsted outcomes across Buckinghamshire schools. It was noted that pupil attainment in Buckinghamshire schools is generally above national averages at all statutory assessment points. The report also highlights a narrowing of the attainment gap for disadvantaged pupils, although their outcomes remain below national averages. The report details changes to the Ofsted inspection framework and provides an overview of inspection outcomes, indicating that a high percentage of schools achieved good or outstanding gradings. Action plans for early years and school improvement for the 2025/2026 academic year were also outlined, focusing on areas such as strengthening early years outcomes, improving provision quality, closing attainment gaps, and supporting schools to meet new Ofsted requirements.

SEND Inspections Outcome

The committee was due to review the findings of the Local Area SEND Inspection, which assessed how well the Buckinghamshire Local Area Partnership identifies, assesses, and meets the needs of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The inspection outcome indicated that the partnership arrangements lead to inconsistent experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND, resulting in a level two judgement on a three-level scale. While inspectors recognised progress in areas such as leadership, EHC plan quality, and support for disabled children, they also highlighted concerns regarding the timeliness and variability of EHC plans, long waiting times for certain services, and inconsistent communication with families. The report outlined specific areas for improvement, including enhancing co-production with families, increasing the timeliness and quality of assessments and EHC plans, and improving transition planning.

Performance Monitoring Report Q3

The committee was scheduled to consider the Performance Monitoring Report for the third quarter of the financial year. This report provides an overview of key performance indicators across various council services.

• Percentage of looked-after children (CLA) placed within the local authority's boundary: Performance remained at 47%, below the target of 57%, due to limited in-county capacity and market constraints. Improvement actions include increasing internal bed capacity and facilitating transitions to in-county provision.
• Percentage of new Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) issued within 20 weeks (excluding exceptions): Performance was 6.2%, significantly below the target of 38.2%, attributed to high demand for assessments. An EHCP Recovery Plan is in place to address delays.
• Percentage of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) maintained by Buckinghamshire with a mainstream placement type: Performance was 41%, slightly below the target of 42.5%. This is influenced by the number of EHCPs for older pupils and those with no recorded base. Further analysis is underway to address contributing factors.
• Percentage of children's social care assessments completed in 45 working days: Performance was 87%, above the target of 86%, indicating consistent management oversight and quality assurance.
• Percentage of 19-21-year-olds who have left care that are in education, employment or training (EET): Performance was 59%, exceeding the target of 51%. This is attributed to the work of the leaving care team and dedicated NEET officers.
• Percentage of re-referrals within 12 months: Performance was 25%, below the target of 27%, indicating a slight increase from the previous quarter. Reviews of MASH processes and a recently reviewed Continuum of Need are in place to manage this.
• Percentage of early childcare entitlement eligibility codes validated: Performance was 91%, in line with previous performance and higher than benchmarks.
• School attendance rate: Buckinghamshire's overall school attendance rate was 94.1%, above target and higher than regional and national averages. Attendance in special schools was slightly below comparable figures.

Public Questions

An opportunity was scheduled for members of the public to ask questions in advance relating to items on the agenda.

Chairman's Update and Work Programme

The committee was to receive an update from the Chairman and discuss the committee's work programme for the upcoming council year, suggesting potential items for future discussion.