Background to CEA@Islington first evaluation of performance. (7/12/00)
Tuesday's Education Committe will hear that CEA@Islington has not met five of its targets. These include setting up a complaints procedure, identifying systems to support schools in special measures and monitoring schools' budgets. However, it is felt that the company's overall performance has been good. CEA have been fined £23,115 for minor offences. The real test will come next year when exam results are published.
Councillor James Kempton (Liberal Democrat education chairman), said:
"It will take time to turn things around and the council recognises the scale of the task that lies ahead.
"The service to schools has improved since the department was so heavily criticised by Ofsted in May 1999.
"CEA are bringing a much higher level of professionalism to our schools - for example in their work on the Education Development Plan.
"CEA and the council are determined to work with headteachers, governors, teachers, parents and pupils to raise the performance in our schools."
CEA has not been judged on this year's poor exam results because the firm did not have time to influence them.
Vincent McDonnell, director of schools services for CEA@Islington, said:
"We have met more than 90 per cent of our targets in the first six months of our work here in Islington.
"Though the deduction of any penalties is a disappointment, we feel that with the support in the schools here we are making a difference and feel very positive about the progress we have made."
These quotes were collected by Grame Patfield from the Islington Gazette