HAMPSHIRE'S EDUCATION RECEIVES ALL STARS

It's official! Hampshire County Council has one of the best education services in the country, receiving a three star rating in the government's just released 2001/02 performance and improvement ratings.

For the first time, all 150 education departments have been measured on their performance and prospects for improvement under the new annual star ratings for local education authorities. Every department has been given a rating between zero and three stars, where three is best. Hampshire is just one of 29 to receive three stars all round for both performance and improvement plans.

The star ratings reflect a range of indicators that cover the broad range of education service in a local authority, many drawn from inspection judgements, and others from performance measures for the achievements of Hampshire pupils in national tests.

Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Ken Thornber, said: "The County Council works very hard to offer people in Hampshire the very best level of education for its pupils and I am pleased to see our results and commitment recognised in this way. My congratulations go to the education department in receiving this outstanding three star rating."

Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Education, Councillor Don Allen, said: "The education department has a strong ethos of success. It is wonderful to see the dedication and hard work of staff across the whole of the service recognised in the award of all three stars. The stars not only acknowledge the extremely high quality of education services offered to people in the county, and the strategic plans in place to ensure the quality keeps on improving but they are also an indication of the quality and commitment of education department staff, headteachers, teachers, support staff and governing bodies."

Looking across all Education departments across the country, 32 LEAs (Local Education Authorities) received a top three star rating, and 103 received two stars for current performance. 113 authorities were also awarded three stars for improvement/capacity to improve, including Hampshire.

The education star ratings system forms part of the overall Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA), the first tables of performance for 150 county and unitary councils. Hampshire was assessed as an `excellent' authority overall, which is the top category possible. In their assessment, inspectors said: "Hampshire is placed as one of the best performing councils for education. The council has built effective partnerships with schools to help drive improvements and it is well regarded by headteachers and governors."

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Andrea Smith (01962) 847368
12 December 2002
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