|
Sometimes it’s worth stepping back and realising the journey we’ve been on.
Over the last 20 years, Southwark’s schools have been transformed from some of the worst in the country to among the very best – with 96% now rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.
A massive thank you to everyone whose hard work has achieved this - our children and young people, teachers, governors and school staff, backed by our council education team.
Last week I met with local headteachers for our School Standards Report, which shows some incredible achievements including improvement for all ages, from Early Years to GCSEs, all comparing very well with national averages.
In a borough where so many children do not have the privileges of others, with 38% qualifying for free school meals, we know that with the right support for those facing disadvantage, our children have every chance to succeed.
We’ve worked hard to close the gap in achievement, attendance and exclusions, through our mental health support services, free healthy school meals, our Virtual School and more.
Today we face another challenge from falling pupil numbers. Because schools are funded per pupil, to keep standards high some schools have had to make difficult decisions to merge or close. This helps all our schools stay well-funded and young people get the great education they deserve.
One of our top priorities is giving the borough’s children a good start in life, and we won’t ever stop doing our best.
Cllr Kieron Williams
Leader of Southwark Council
|
