Norfolk County Council’s children’s services have joined the Department for Education’s national improvement team, which will pair the department with a local authority that needs to improve. The move follows Ofsted’s outstanding rating in every area earlier this year.
The May report praised the council’s “inspirational strategic and operational leadership.” Previous Ofsted ratings were inadequate in 2013 and 2015, needs improvement in 2017 and good in 2022.
The DfE fully funds the team. Norfolk is one of 15 authorities selected so far and will be paid for the time it contributes; cabinet member Wendy Atkinson said other councils, children and families could benefit from Norfolk’s expertise.
