Ofsted praises LEA for turning round problems

GOVERNMENT inspectors have praised Buckinghamshire LEA for turning round serious weaknesses in the county's education.

The Local Education Authority (LEA) had to be re-inspected after a critical Ofsted report last year.

In the report released this month, education inspectors commended the authority for improving communication with schools and praised its progress in improving teaching, raising standards in key skills and sharpening management and the self-evaluation of schools.

It said: 'The LEA has worked vigorously to build on its strengths and eradicate its weaknesses. It has done so within a broader campaign to change its policy from one which focused on providing services to schools, to one in which it monitors its schools effectively and is able to give support.

'However, schools continue to be diagnosed by Ofsted as weak and the LEA has much more to do to promote consistent improvement, particularly in areas of social disadvantage.'

The LEA will now focus on raising standards in literacy for boys and underachieving pupils from ethnic minorities, continue to improve the quality of teaching, reduce fixed-term exclusions and support underachieving schools.

Education director David McGahey said: 'The report describes the impressive progress and this has been achieved with the involvement and support of those who use, work and take an interest in education in Buckinghamshire. We know that there is still a way to go and I will continue to be personally involved in building stronger bridges with schools to ensure that we make continued and rapid progress.'

The improvements were part of a development plan launched last year after the LEA's Ofsted report in June revealed significant weaknesses in policy decisions and the way in which services were run.

Six of the county's schools were identified as requiring special measures and nine were described as having serious weaknesses.

Ofsted praises LEA for turning round problems

GOVERNMENT inspectors have praised Buckinghamshire LEA for turning round serious weaknesses in the county's education.

The Local Education Authority (LEA) had to be re-inspected after a critical Ofsted report last year.

In the report released this month, education inspectors commended the authority for improving communication with schools and praised its progress in improving teaching, raising standards in key skills and sharpening management and the self-evaluation of schools.

It said: 'The LEA has worked vigorously to build on its strengths and eradicate its weaknesses. It has done so within a broader campaign to change its policy from one which focused on providing services to schools, to one in which it monitors its schools effectively and is able to give support.

'However, schools continue to be diagnosed by Ofsted as weak and the LEA has much more to do to promote consistent improvement, particularly in areas of social disadvantage.'

The LEA will now focus on raising standards in literacy for boys and underachieving pupils from ethnic minorities, continue to improve the quality of teaching, reduce fixed-term exclusions and support underachieving schools.

Education director David McGahey said: 'The report describes the impressive progress and this has been achieved with the involvement and support of those who use, work and take an interest in education in Buckinghamshire. We know that there is still a way to go and I will continue to be personally involved in building stronger bridges with schools to ensure that we make continued and rapid progress.'

The improvements were part of a development plan launched last year after the LEA's Ofsted report in June revealed significant weaknesses in policy decisions and the way in which services were run.

Six of the county's schools were identified as requiring special measures and nine were described as having serious weaknesses.