Priorities for Improving Opportunities for Children and Young People

1. Priorities for Improving Opportunities for Children and Young People Terry Reynolds June 2009

2. Enjoy and Achieve • Further develop and implement our strategy for offering a diverse school provision • Support schools to improve academic performance and rates of progress • 90% of children make at least 2 levels of progression in English and 88% in Maths; • Aggregated schools targets for 5 + A* - C with English and Maths 56%; • Increase attainment of Level 4 in both English and Maths at KS2 from 73% to 80%. • Develop our 14-19 strategy, ensuring wider engagement and effective communication • Develop early years’ provision, promoting the development and wellbeing of all children, helping to raise outcomes at the end of the Foundation Stage • Reduce the number of schools not performing well enough

3. Enjoy and Achieve • Maximise the educational, aspirational and social potential provided by the Olympic and Paralympics Games • Increase the % of children and young people’s participation in high quality PE and school sport through the local authority, sports colleges and school partnerships • Ensure that schools are supported to provide the full core offer in extended services • Reduce the % of Looked After Children who are absent from school for more than 25 days in a year from 17% to 13% • Raise the educational attainment of Looked After Children at KS2 and 4 in English and Maths • Develop and draw up an implementation plan to progress the actions required to modernise our special educational needs services

4. Target action to reduce the number of school leavers, particularly care leavers, young offenders and young people with disabilities, who are not in employment, education or training Economic Well-Being

5. Be Healthy • Increase the number of workers providing activities and effective interventions for children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. • Develop systems and processes that monitor the outcomes and impact of Healthy Schools Programme, SEAL, PSHE and SRE programmes in school • Provide a range of parenting programmes and supports using existing community venues e.g. schools, children’s centres, health centres.

6. Stay Safe • Reduce incidents of bullying and ensure the effective implementation of our anti-bullying strategy

7. Making a Positive Contribution • Develop a wide range of affordable, accessible and safe activities for children and young people • Provide opportunities to play, participate and realise potential in the arts, cultural, sporting and volunteering activities

8. Narrowing the Gap • Targeting services geographically for specific groups that are not achieving good outcomes • Ensuring no child or young person is discriminated against because of their background • Providing effective support, available and accessible to all children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities • Ensuring services targeted towards looked after children are effective in improving their outcomes • Improving attendance and supporting children and young people who are at risk of exclusion, or missing education