Management Information Sheet
End of year Message from James Joyce
Dear colleagues
As 2015 draws to a close, I am writing to thank you for your efforts in leading, managing and improving Norfolk's schools. Our children and young people deserve the best education possible and it is pleasing to note the positive impact that your schools are having on their learning, their achievement and on their preparation for the future. You are demonstrating that the Council's ambition for 'excellence in education' is within reach!
I was pleased to read last week's annual report from Ofsted in which your improved inspection outcomes are commended. 81% of Norfolk schools are now at least good compared to 59% in 2012. Through our collective efforts, 26,000 more Norfolk children attend a school that is good or better than they did three years ago when our strategic approach to providing 'A Good Education for Every Norfolk Learner' got underway.
I am also pleased to see that Year 11 students' Summer results brought Norfolk very close to the national average. Our 5 and 7 years olds are already there and with your renewed focus on Key Stage 2 I look forward to hearing about how our 11 year olds fare next Summer. Our looked after children achieved well above national average last summer. And with only a few days to go, the annual calculation of the proportion of 16 to 18 year olds not in education, employment and training (NEET) is looking promisingly low.
There is nothing more important than to provide appropriate, high quality education for our children and young people. I am often reminded of the maxim that to be a good teacher is 'to touch tomorrow'. Next term, we will be constructing a summary report of Norfolk's education system and I will be keen to share this with you. I hope that this becomes a regular report that provides opportunity to record areas of improvement as well as to highlight areas of relative weakness on an annual basis.
On behalf of my fellow Councillors as well as Michael Rosen our Director and Gordon Boyd and our Education Services, I wish you and your schools a very Happy Christmas and a successful 2016.
Yours sincerely
Cllr James Joyce
Chair of Norfolk County Council Children's Services Committee