Good rating for children’s centre described as “life-changing experience”

Shropshire Council’s Oswestry Area Sure Start Children’s Centre has been judged as “good” by Government inspectors.  The centre was inspected on 13 and 14 February 2013.

In a report published on 27 February 2013, Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills) said that the Oswestry Area Children’s Centre area is “highly successful at engaging with those families considered to be in greatest need of support and access to good quality services”.

The centre has a main base at Woodside Primary School and covers the north west Oswestry area in Shropshire.  It is one of 18 children’s centres in 12 clusters in Shropshire which offer a variety of services for families with young children.

Inspectors commended the centre for ensuring that “the welfare of families is central to the work of the centre”.  “Involvement with the Children’s Centre has been a life-changing experience for me” said one parent. 

The report noted that “parents who expressed a view could not speak more highly of the centre and its staff.  One parent said ‘the staff are just stars’.”

The report also comments that “there is clear and convincing evidence that health outcomes are improving strongly and most outcomes are good” and “care, guidance and support are good”. 

Ofsted highlighted to users “the large majority of families want to be involved in the centre, as staff are very friendly, welcoming and approachable” and “the centre provides a wide variety of good quality services, activities and events to meet the needs of families and the community”.

The report found that recent changes in the leadership team have been welcomed by parents, partners and staff.  One key partner commented on the new leadership, saying “they are bringing fresh eyes to the role”.

In looking to the future, the report recognised that the centre had a good capacity to improve, but added to establish parent representatives as key participants on the advisory board to further enhance the strategic management and governance of the centre and having effective systems to record and monitor the impact of adult education/learning and their employability.

Karen Bradshaw, Shropshire Council’s director of children’s services, said:

“This report is a credit to everyone involved with the centre.  We are overjoyed to see Ofsted’s comments that families feel safe and welcomed at the centre.  We are also pleased that the recent changes in the leadership team have been welcomed by our parents, partners and staff.”

For more information about Oswestry Area Children’s Centre and surrounding areas, people should contact Children’s Centre Co-ordinator Nina Kooner or Senior Children’s Centre Support Worker Alex Klages on 01691 656513.

For more details about children’s centres people can visit shropshire.gov.uk, or about Ofsted, go to http://www.ofsted.gov.uk

Further information

The report also noted that:

• The centre provides good value for money.
• The centre’s safeguarding arrangements are thorough, and improving, as a result of the new Early Help Framework.  A great focus on prevention and support reduces the number of concerns escalating.
• Breastfeeding initiation rates have improved each year and are up five per cent on the previous year.
• The gap between the lowest achieving 20 per cent of children in Early Years Foundation Stage has closed considerably and is now at 19% compared to the national average of 30 per cent.

Shropshire Council Sure Start Children’s Centres provide a range of services for families with children under five years old including:

• Information and advice to parents and carers.
• Parental outreach services.
• Family drop-in sessions.
• Child and family health.
• Links with Jobcentre Plus.
• Early learning and childcare.
• Childminding.
• Family support.
• Support for children and parents with special needs.