The Family and Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Northumberland Council met on Thursday 3 September 2026 to discuss the annual report for the School Improvement Team, the new Best Start in Life Plan, and attendance rates across the county. The committee also reviewed reports from the Scrutiny Officer regarding the Forward Plan and the committee's work programme.

Annual Report for the School Improvement Team

The committee was scheduled to review the annual report for the School Improvement Team, covering school improvement activity in Northumberland during the academic year 2025-2026. The report aimed to provide oversight and assurance regarding the team's performance, their ability to support and develop leadership in schools, and to offer further direction. It also noted the continued impact of funding changes imposed by the Department for Education (DfE). The report highlighted that since the remodelling of the school improvement service in 2014, there had been significant improvements in school preparedness for Ofsted inspections and pupil outcomes. The current Ofsted Education Inspection Framework, introduced in November 2025, evaluates schools across several areas including safeguarding, inclusion, curriculum and teaching, achievement, attendance and behaviour, personal development and wellbeing, and leadership and governance. During the 2025-2026 academic year, 25 Northumberland schools received routine inspections, with one monitoring inspection. The School Improvement Service comprises several teams, including Early Years, Equalities, Northumberland Music, School Governance and Data Protection, the School Improvement Team itself, and Schools' IT, overseeing 40 statutory responsibilities. The report detailed the staffing of the School Improvement Team and their work with School Improvement Partners. It also noted the impact of the removal of the School Improvement Monitoring & Brokering Grant and the introduction of Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams. The report outlined the support provided to schools, including termly visits, support for headteacher appraisal cycles, and assessment and moderation services. Specific successes were highlighted, such as the support provided to Beaufront First School and Cambois Primary School. The report also discussed the impact of academisation and the role of school alliances.

Best Start in Life Plan

A summary of the new Best Start in Life Plan for 2026-2028 was presented to the committee. This plan aligns with the Corporate Plan priorities of Tackling Inequalities and Achieving Value for Money, aiming to ensure children and young people have the best start in life and that resources are used effectively. The plan is a response to the Government's Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy, which focuses on transforming early years services, expanding access to high-quality childcare, and investing in the workforce. It also includes the development of Family Hubs to provide integrated support for families. The plan sets out Northumberland's objectives for the next two years, incorporating recommendations from the Institute of Health Equity. The five key priorities within the plan are: narrowing the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers; supporting children's communication and language development; supporting the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing of under-5s; building a shared commitment to inclusive practice for children with SEND; and improving data and intelligence sharing across local partners. The plan sets specific targets for the percentage of children reaching a Good Level of Development by 2028, with a particular focus on disadvantaged children and boys.

Attendance Rates in Northumberland

The committee was provided with an overview of attendance performance in Northumberland during the 2024/25 academic year, along with benchmarking against regional and national measures. A provisional update on attendance performance for 2025/26 was also included, alongside an overview of the Local Authority's attendance improvement activities and key priorities for 2026/27. The report indicated that validated Department for Education absence statistics for 2024/25 showed continued improvement in attendance across Northumberland, with overall absence reducing and persistent absence also decreasing. However, severe absence, where pupils miss more than 50% of sessions, had increased. Provisional data for 2025/26 indicated that overall attendance in Northumberland was 91.7%, with primary attendance at 94.7%, secondary at 91.1%, and special school attendance at 83.9%. Persistent absence overall was recorded at 24.4%. The Local Authority's response includes working closely with schools on attendance reviews, themed workshops, robust monitoring, and multi-agency support for vulnerable learners. Key strengths identified include reductions in overall and persistent absence, strong partnership working, and data-led monitoring. Challenges include increasing levels of severe absence, lower attendance in specialist settings, and attendance barriers linked to SEND and anxiety. Priorities for 2026/27 include reducing severe absence, sustaining reductions in persistent absence, and strengthening support for vulnerable groups.

Reports of the Scrutiny Officer

The committee was scheduled to review the latest Forward Plan of key decisions, noting any further changes that would be reported at the meeting. Additionally, a work programme/monitoring report for the Family and Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee for 2023/24 was to be considered.

The meeting also included standard agenda items such as apologies for absence, the confirmation of minutes from the previous meeting, and the disclosure of members' interests.