Surestart Whitley Children's Centre performing well

Reading Borough Council News Release

Surestart Whitley Children’s Centre Performing Well

The significant health and educational benefits Whitley’s Surestart Children’s Centre brings to the local community are highlighted by Ofsted inspectors, who found the centre was performing well with good prospects for further improvement.

Inspectors visited the centre, based at South Reading Youth and Community Centre in Northumberland Avenue , last month. They found: “Whitley’s Children’s Centre serves its local area well and provides a good level of effectiveness. Leaders have a clear overview of the priorities of the area. They know its community and target groups well.”

Significant successes – like more children being brought for regular health checks and less local people smoking – are noted by inspectors.

Ofsted Inspectors also found services were of a high quality and popular with large numbers of families using the centre, especially those most in need.

The Ofsted report - published on Wednesday January 4 - goes on to say: “…evaluation and data show outcomes for families are good or better in all areas. As a result, the centre’s capacity for sustained improvement is good.”

Partnership working is highlighted as a particular strength and described as ‘exceptionally well streamlined.’ Inspectors noted
the delivery of two year health checks successfully relocated to the Whitley centre in September 2011 and which have seen the number of children being brought in for checks increase by 13% in just 3 months.

Ofsted inspectors said: “The innovative partnership working between the centre and health services is exemplified by the Family visiting Team….which provides a high level of support through a co-ordinated referral system to families most in need.”

Other initiatives to promote better health outcomes are also highlighted by Ofsted. Tackling childhood obesity is being promoted at the centre by promoting exercise through swimming vouchers and through healthy eating programmes. Inspectors noted that the proportion of smokers who have stopped is highest in the centre’s area as a direct result of targeted support and information. Support is also given in the key areas of adult mental health and teenage parents.

The invaluable work of Surestart Whitley Children’s Centre is summed up by one parent, quoted in the report saying: “I can get help (at the centre) with any problems. The staff are amazing: flexible and helpful.”

Ofsted found children make ‘outstanding progress’ in the on-site nursery and crèche. They said: “Analysis of how well children do at the end of Reception year indicates children from Whitley exceed local expectations significantly. In particular data indicate that the percentage gap between the lowest achieving 20% and the rest is significantly better than the local average , showing that this gap is narrowing very well.”

Measures taken to ensure the safety and well being of children are described as ‘outstanding’ and ‘the highest priority’ is given to safeguarding with ‘exemplary practice in place.’

Inspectors found parents had a ‘strong voice’ at the centre and of Reading Borough Council’s role in the Centre’s success, Ofsted wrote: “The local authority gives a good level of support and challenge to ensure continuous improvement. They provide relevant information, good quality data and robust evaluation.”

Inspectors were also impressed by Reading Borough Council’s Innovations project which brings together large numbers of volunteers from the local area to support the local community.

John Ennis, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Education and Children’s Services, said: “This is a fantastic Ofsted report and just reward for the tremendous work which we already know goes on at Surestart Whitley Children’s Centre. We have seen some really significant successes like more parents bringing in their children for health checks, fewer people smoking and the fantastic progress of children at the nursery. I would like to personally congratulate every member of staff and every member of the local community involved at the centre. I look forward to even more success in the coming year.”

The Ofsted report is available on the Ofsted website at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/23069