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Following the recent inspections of 17 schools in Northumberland in October 2013, Ofsted has written to the Northumberland local authority to advise it of the findings.

The focused inspections are part of a concerted programme of action by Ofsted to establish why children in some parts of the country have a much lower chance of attending a good or better school than their peers in other similar areas.

Seventeen schools were inspected during the focused inspection period 14 – 24 October. The schools were all due for inspection by the end of this academic year and selected to encompass a range of school.

During the inspections, Ofsted also gathered information on the use, quality and impact of local authority support for school improvement by asking three additional key questions of headteachers and governors.

The letter sent to Northumberland local authority has been published on the Ofsted website.

Notes to editors

1. The letter to Northumberland County Council can be found at Ofsted website.

2. On 17 January 2013, Ofsted announced the first wave of focused school inspections across local authority areas, where children are being denied the standard of education they deserve. The press release is available on the Ofsted website.

3. Local authority areas were selected for the focused school inspection programme on the basis of the relative proportion of children attending good or better primary schools, as set out in the last Ofsted Annual Report, and Ofsted data on the proportion of children attending good or better secondary schools, as well as any relevant inspection evidence gathered during the autumn 2012 term. These are standard section 5 inspections, which were scheduled to take place this academic year and include all types of schools – although the majority will be primary schools.

4. In 2012 only 61 per cent of children on FSM in Northumberland achieved Level 4 in English and maths at Key Stage 2, compared to 82 per cent of their non-FSM peers in the authority. Nationally and within the North East region, 66 per cent of children on FSM achieve this grade.
Ofsted’s latest data from 31 August 2013 shows that 37 per cent of secondary schools in Northumberland - which include middle deemed secondary - were judged less than good at their last inspection, compared with 27 per cent across England. This means over 8, 000 children in the county are going to a secondary school that is not yet good.

5. Ofsted’s Annual Report is available on the website at www.ofsted.gov.uk/about-us/annual-report.

6. The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

7. Media can contact the Ofsted Press Office through 03000 130415 or via Ofsted’s enquiry line 0300 1231231 between 8.30am – 6.00pm, Monday – Friday. Out of these hours, during evenings and weekends, the duty press officer can be reached on 07919 057359.