NEW OFSTED REPORT WARNS OF BARRIERS TO ACADEMIC PROGRESS FOR CHILDREN IN CARE, DESPITE POSITIVE WORK OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES

LONDON, March 12 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

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Research revealshowinconsistencies across local authority practicesare creating barriers to academic and personal progressforsomechildren in care.

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Leaders and staff in mostschools and collegesdemonstratedflexible and inclusive approaches to meeting children's individual needs, despite lottery of resources.

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Clearer national expectations,bettervirtual school provision,and enhanced training for staff needed to ensure nochild in carefalls through the gaps.

Some schools and collegesvisited for the researchsaid access to resources and virtual school provision often depended on which local authority a child was placed under, creating a 'lottery' effect. Further education providers highlighted that personaleducationplan (PEP)meetings were sometimes not held beyond age 16, reducing oversight and support for older learners. These inconsistencies limited timely interventions and contributed to delays in support for children in care.

Read the full report: How schools and colleges support the academic and personal progress of children in care

Despite thesedifficulties,theleaders ofmostof theschools and collegesvisiteddemonstrateda deep understanding of each learner's circumstances.Theyappliedflexibleandinclusive approachestosupport individuals' specific needs, often adapting policies to reflecttheiremotional and behavioural challenges.Support was most effective when staff were well trained.Leaders who invested in specialist professional development-particularly in understanding the needs of care-experienced children and the impactofissues such astrauma -were better equipped to create supportive environments.

Researchers found that effective communication was essential totimelyand coordinated supportfor children in care. This included collaboration between leaders and staff in schools and colleges, as well as regular engagement withcarers,socialworkersand virtual school headteachers.Virtual schools were widely valued byschools and collegesfor their role in providing funding,trainingand specialist advice.

Nationally, children in careface significant disparities in academic achievement compared to their peers. In the schools and colleges visited, academic and learning support was an important focus, with targeted interventions including one-to-one tutoring, small-group teaching and in-class support. Many schools and colleges also prioritised emotional and social development, fostering trusting relationships to ensure learners felt seen and supported.

Theresearch, conducted during the 2024/25 academic year, explored how mainstream schools and collegeshelpsupport the 81,770 children and young people currently in local authority care across England.Today'sreportmakes several recommendationsto help create more effectiveeducation provision forthesechildren, including:

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Ongoing specialist training forschool and collegestaff,to betterunderstand and respond to the needs of children in care.Training should be continuous rather than one-off, with regular refreshersessions.

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A standardisednationalapproach to PEP formats, funding approvals (particularly pupil premium plus),and virtual school provisiontoreduce delays in support.

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Improvedcollaborationbetween education providers and local authorities,through shared protocols and expectations.Information co-produced with learners shouldalsobe shared with staff,through online platforms or pupil passports,to keep staff informed about learners' needs and circumstances.

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Local authoritiesshouldensure ongoing support for care-experienced young people beyond 16, including effective PEPs.

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Extrasupportfor collegesformentoring, emotional support and academic help, alongside early transition planning with clear routes into education,employmentor training.

Informed by this research,Ofsted's renewed education inspection framework(introduced in November 2025)nowhas asharper focus on children known,or previously known,to local authority social care.

Sir Martyn Oliver, His Majesty's Chief Inspector, said:

Children in care are one of the most vulnerable groups in society, and we know there are significant disparities intheiracademic and personal achievement compared to their peers.

While this report highlights the fantastic work some schools and colleges are doing to support these children's progress,it'salsoclear thatwe needa more consistent national approach to local authority support and practice.

Understanding howleadersmeet the needs of vulnerable childrenis my top priority, and a golden thread running through all our education inspections under therenewed framework.I hope this report'sfindings help leaders and decision-makers understand how children in care are best supported in their education, so that no child falls through the gaps.

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Notes to editors:

* The research involved surveys of inspectors and virtual school heads,as well asvisits to 15 mainstream schools and colleges,where researchers spoke withrepresentatives from senior leadership teams,51 learnersand the staff that supported them, 20virtual school representatives, and 26 social workers, parents, carers and care workers.

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.