ELSTOW LOWER SCHOOL PUPILS CELEBRATE 'OUTSTANDING' OFSTED REPORT

Last week I announced the great news that Elstow Lower School has just been rated 'Outstanding' for the second time in 3 years by Ofsted. As you can see in this photograph our school children are as thrilled as the staff, parents and governors with this tremendous result as they play a key part in the school's success.

Despite heavy snow in February, Elstow Lower School was one of the few Bedfordshire schools to stay open so that the Inspectors could visit and assess the standard and quality of the education.

Recent achievements at Elstow Lower School include gaining 'Eco School' status and receiving the prestigious 'Green Flag' award. Many of our children do not speak English as their first language and each year the school has an International Week.

Highlights of the Ofsted Inspection report include:
1. Inspectors were 'wowed' by the young School Council Members and 'Eco Warriors' who talked enthusiastically about their roles and the decisions they have to make.

2. Parents said that their children 'always come home full of information and we could not ask for anything more'

3. The Inspectors considered the level of care and support for the children to be of the highest quality and a real strength of the school.

4. Recently the children enriched their learning with visits from 'Night Owls', re- enactments of historical events, becoming 'entrepreneurs', visits to London and other exciting projects.

As Head Teacher Jenny Winder says "We are delighted and proud of the result of this latest inspection. Everyone - children, staff, parents, partner schools and local businesses - works hard as a team and together we strive to provide our children and their families with the very best education which will give them life opportunities and allow them to live healthy and harmonious lives within the society of today and in the future".

As Vice Chairman of Governors at the school I am pleased to endorse these comments, and also passionately believe in the importance of teamwork and partnership in my other role as the local Councillor for Elstow and Wilstead villages.

This week I attended a meeting to discuss the development of John Bunyan Upper School into Bedford Academy in September 2010. The meeting was held at Cauldwell Lower School, another Outstanding Lower School, located in an area of South Bedford with high levels of social deprivation. Elstow Lower School also draws 40% of its pupils from this area and the qualities that shine out of these two schools are strong, inspirational leadership and teamwork.

TOP RATINGS FOR BEDFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL CHILDRENS SERVICES

OUTSTANDING OFSTED RATING FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES
Bedfordshire County Council has been given an 'Outstanding' rating by Ofsted for keeping children safe and making a positive contribution to children's lives. This year's Ofsted Annual Performance Assessment (APA) rated the County Council's Child Protection Service as one of the best in the country. This is very reassuring after all the recent national media coverage of the horrific treatment of Baby P and the poor quality of Haringey Council's Child Protection Service.

As Vice Chairman of the Council's Children's Services Committee I am very proud of this accolade, particularly as the Service was poor and in 'Special Measures' before my election in May 2005 as a County Councillor and has made a dramatic improvement since then.

'FOSTERING AND ADOPTION SERVICE IS OUTSTANDING AGAIN
Bedfordshire County Council's Private Fostering and Adoption Service has also been rated Outstanding by Ofsted, the third Outstanding rating for the Service in 2008. Ofsted commented "All features of the service are outstanding and yield good outcomes for the children and young people involved" - high praise indeed!

The County Council will be supporting a National Campaign which runs 19-23 January 2009 to highlight the potential vulnerability of children living in private fostering arrangements and will promote the need to notify the local authority of such arrangements.

YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE IS NO.1 IN THE COUNTRY
As previously reported Bedfordshire County Council's Youth Offending Services is now rated No.1 in the country and has reduced the number of first time offenders by 28.1% in 2007/8.

BEDFORD SCHOOLS ARE OUTSTANDING
Putnoe Lower School has just received an Outstanding Ofsted report and was a finalist in the DCSF National Teaching Awards Sustainable Schools Awards. Congratulations are due to the Head Teacher, Gillian Peck, pictured above with some of the children, for this tremendous achievement, supported by teachers, governors, parents, children and the County School Improvement Team.

Queens Park Lower School was also recently rated Outstanding and Elstow Lower School, where I am Vice Chair of Governors was the first Lower School in Bedfordshire to be rated Outstanding in 2005.

John Bunyan Upper School has also just been praised by Ofsted for its continuing performance improvement under the strong leadership of its new Head Teacher, Ursula Byrne, who has formed a partnership with the University of Hertfordshire. Ofsted particularly praised the school for its social cohesion, racial harmony, excellent pastoral initiatives and improved examination results. This improvement should continue when the school becomes an Academy in 2010.

Bedford Upper Schools achieved their best ever GCSE results in 2008, with Sharnbrook Upper School achieving an 80% GCSE pass rate for the first time.

This excellent news is in sharp contrast to the blatant misinformation in Beds on Sunday and Bedford News about 'poor' Bedford Schools, which is untrue and unfair to the hardworking staff and students at our rapidly improving Bedford schools.

UPDATE ON ANTI BULLYING WEEK IN BEDFORDSHIRE

This is the yellow Anti Bullying Bus which arrived at John Bunyan Upper School on Monday morning, marking the official launch of Anti-Bullying Week in Bedfordshire.

Tuesday was "Be Kind and Make a Difference Day" and children from two schools, one pictured above, went to the Grove Theatre to watch a showing of "The Tiger Who Came to Tea" - my daughters' favourite book when they were little. On Friday Chiltern FM will host an event for young people from 9 Middle Schools to display their musical, dance and drama talents before a judging panel.

Today I attended the 5th and final Bedfordshire Countywide Assembly at Cranfield University with 180 representatives from 100+ organisations including 4 local Councils, NHS, Police, Fire Service, Parish and Town Councils, voluntary organisations etc.

We were discussing our Local Area Agreement and the challenges facing the people of Bedfordshire in 4 main areas - Health & Children, the Economy & Environment, Safer and Stronger Communities and the setting up of the two new Unitary Councils, Central Bedfordshire and Bedford, which replace Bedfordshire County Council on 1 April 2009.
Topics covered included Child Obesity and Poverty, Enterprise and Carbon Reduction, Civic Participation and Domestic Violence.

Tomorrow I am off to London for a 2-day Public Services Innovation Conference, organised by the Local Government Association, to share bright ideas on how to improve people's lives. This Councillor's life is never dull, just very busy!

ANTI-BULLYING WEEK IN BEDFORDSHIRE

Yesterday the Anti-Bullying Bus came to Bedfordshire to mark the official launch of Anti Bullying Week, a national event organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. Bedfordshire Students Against Bullying representatives joined Cllr David Reedman, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at John Bunyan Upper School in Bedford to unveil the yellow double decker bus.

This year's theme is "being different, belonging together' and aims to raise awareness of the serious impact of bullying on young people. There are a series of events involving schools and local communities across Bedfordshire this week.

Jayden Rai, a Year 11 student at John Bunyan Upper School and a Bedfordshire Students Against Bullying Representative said "We want to make sure people know that bullying is not just in school, it's outside - in parks, on the street, even at home and on the buses. We want to raise awareness, so we're doing posters, badges, assemblies, an internet forum and even role play".

200 children aged 9-12 years entered an Anti-Bullying Superhero Art Competition in 17 Bedfordshire Libraries and 12 winners have been chosen to receive prizes at a special Award Ceremony on Thursday 20 November in Flitwick.

I'M A COUNCILLOR ...GET ME OUT OF HERE! Day 1

Day 1 of "I'm A Councillor .... Get Me Out of Here!" has arrived and already I have answered 5 questions on anti social behaviour, social activities for young people, education and local politics.

Pictured above are young people using their computers at school - perhaps to ask me more questions? - and students at John Bunyan Upper School which many of the young people who live in Elstow and Wilstead attend, and where I hope to visit next Monday on the 'Take Your Councillor to School' Day.

See you all tomorrow..............