‘Outstanding’ verdict

Kirkby Children’s Centres are celebrating after being the first group in the country to be rated ‘outstanding’ under the new Ofsted framework.

The Pride, The Eden, The Ark and Northwood children’s centres are the first group in the country to be given the top accolade by Ofsted since the inspectorate introduced much tougher criteria to judge whether children’s centres are meeting the needs of local families.

Inspectors heaped praise on the group of four centres, particularly for their work in targeting vulnerable families, even those who may initially be reluctant to use the centre.

In fact, Ofsted said that children who had used services at the centre were better prepared for starting school than their peers, and that the commitment of staff to help families have what others take for granted was “astounding”.

The Inspector said that “inequalities for disabled children and children with special educational needs are reduced effectively because they receive the right support in the most appropriate way” and that “support for parents to improve their employment prospects is very good”.

There was also praise for the work staff do in raising awareness about the free nursery places that the most vulnerable two-year-olds are entitled to, and said that, as a result, “almost all of them take up their nursery place and begin their journey to become ready for school.”

Summing up, Ofsted said: “Kirkby families are firmly at the heart of everything that is done in the children’s centre group.
“Careful thought is given to what, how and where highly effective activities or services are delivered. Managers and staff are constantly looking for ways to improve their services so that the opportunities and life chances of families can be enhanced.”

The report also said: “The centre group buildings are a haven for families. They are resourced with high quality equipment and furniture. The most valuable resource, however, is the staff team.