Agenda item

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education and the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing which provides Members with progress against targets set for key performance activity indicators.

1.    Patrick Leeson introduced the performance scorecards for both Education and Early Help and Specialist Children’s Services which provided Members with progress against targets set for key performance and activity indicators.

2.    Roger Gough (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education) said that the conversion of statements to Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) needed to be completed by March 2018 and he felt positive that this would be done. He said that quality and quantity in Kent were being addressed to ensure that targets are met and to meet statutory requirements.

a)    In response to comments and questions, Patrick Leeson said that Kent County Council were very data rich and said it was important to assess how much of the data needed to be monitored.

b)    In response to a question, Patrick Leeson said that the district scorecards were presented to provide a clear view of where certain processes are working better in certain places than in others. He added that the targets set were ambitious and that the red ratings did not mean that a particular district was doing badly, just that the target had not quite been met.

c)    In response to a question, Patrick Leeson said that 19 children in 2016 were permanently excluded from primary schools in Kent. He said that although permanently excluded children may have the opportunity to take part in off-site teaching and activities, the main priority is to ensure they are placed in another school as quickly as possible.

d)    In response to a comment, Patrick Leeson said that the portion of primary schools in Thanet that were good or outstanding had improved and the current percentage was 88%. He said that primary attendance issues were often related to family and parenting issues.

3.    RESOLVED that both the performance scorecards for Education and Early Help and for Specialist Children’s Services be noted.