York launches early help strategy

City of York Safeguarding Children Board have  launched a new strategy setting out how they will help and protect some of the city’s most vulnerable children.

York’s Early Help Strategy 2014-16 outlines how the authority and board can provide support during the early years of a child’s life as well as intervening as soon as possible when a child of any age needs additional support,  investing early to prevent more intrusive, and costly, later interventions. The aim is to ensure that help is provided as soon as it’s needed, not waiting until problems escalate.

York’s Early Help Strategy 2014-16 is available athttp://www.yor-ok.org.uk/

Schools meal prices to be reduced in York?

It seems that the governments decision to provide free school meals for all under 7 year olds (Key Stage 1) could result in a general reduction in the price of school meals.

Contractors are understood to have said that the larger volume of food being cooked would result in lower unit costs for all meals.

School lunch 2

At present school meals in York at £2-25p (Secondary £2.40) are amongst the most expensive in the country.

As a result school meal take up is relatively low at 38%

It now seems likely that if the cost of meals can be reduced to £2 then an increase to a 55% take up could be achieved.

Of the 64 schools in York, 44 are in the Local Authority’s school meals contract with ISS (Education). In York, all meals are freshly prepared in school except for two small schools. Quality and nutritional value of the meals is good http://www.schoolfoodplan.com/contact/

2503 children in York currently are entitled to free school meals. Schools receive additional funding of £953 per pupil in 2013/14 (rising to £1,300 for primary schools in 2014/15) as a pupil premium from the Government, for every pupil registered for free school meals.

A national Department for Education report (Data source: DWP December 2011) indicated that a further 400 pupils in York might be entitled to free school meals but their parents had not registered and claimed for the benefit. This not only means that those pupils are missing out on a free meal but York schools are not receiving the additional funding per pupil as detailed above.

A report of a Council working group is being considered next week.

Future of Burnholme site

City of York Council is holding a public consultation about the future use of Burnholme Community College site on Saturday 15 March.

The drop in consultation event, which will be held onsite at the college, will take place between 11am and 3pm will offer an opportunity to meet with the project team and comment on the future use of the site.

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York school children urged to ‘Expect Respect’

City of York Council is supporting Women’s Aid’s work to prevent domestic and sexual violence by sharing the educational toolkit “Expect Respect” with all schools in the city.

“Expect Respect” is an online educational toolkit that includes one hour lesson plans for each year of school from reception to year 13, guidance on the links between the learning outcomes within the lesson plans and to the relevant parts of the Early Years and National Curriculum.  The toolkit also provides supporting information and resources for teachers, access to online interactive activities and an online support service giving teachers advice and guidance about the delivery of the lesson plans.

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Adoption information event

City of York Council is hosting one of its regular Information Events for anyone interested in finding out more about adoption next week (Monday 3 March).

The information events, which are help jointly with North Yorkshire County Council and East Riding Council, provide an informal opportunity to anyone interested in adoption to find out more about what’s involved.

The next information session will be held at West Offices in York on Monday 3 March between 6.30 and 8.00pm. To book a place please  call 01904 553525or email adoption@york.gov.uk

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York’s Children’s Centres praised by Ofsted as budget cuts loom

The work of children’s centres in the South East of York has been praised by independent inspectors, Ofsted.

Inspectors rated the Knavesmire, St Lawrences and The Avenues children’s centres as ‘Good’ in their first inspection, highlighting the centres’ work with vulnerable and hard-to-reach families as particularly strong.

In York, Labour are planning to cut over £260,000 from the Children’s Centre budget over the next 2 years.

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York’s Family Information Service scoops national award

York Family Information Service (FIS) has scooped a national quality award.

The team, which supports parents and carers across the city of children aged between 0-19 (and up to 25 years of age for young people with disabilities) has been awarded the National Association of Families Information Services (NAFIS) Family First Award for quality.
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York primary school performance results published

York primary schools have produced only average results in performance comparisons published today.

The results are based on the number of pupils achieving “good” level 4 in reading, writing and maths.

The highest performing schools in York were Naburn CE and St Mary’s CE both of which achieved 100%

Lowest performing school was Derwent which achieved 38%

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Other results included:

  • Acomb Primary 86%
  • Hob Moor 86%
  • Woodthorpe 79%
  • Westfield 76%
  • Our Lady’s 75%
  • Dringhouses 63%

A full list can be found by clicking here

York Lib Dems welcome plans to help businesses employ young people

Nicjk Clegg and young person

The drive to help young people get jobs in York will be boosted by plans to abolish employers’ National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for under 21-years-olds, York’s Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Keith Aspden said today.

The news means businesses will no longer have to pay tax on their employees aged under 21-years-old. For example, companies will save £1,000 each year for every young employee earning £16,000.

In York the plan to abolish NICs for young people from April 2015 means companies will not have to pay the contributions for 5,750 young people.

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