Lib Dem Leader welcomes Ofsted Report

12.00.00am GMT Wed 15th Jan 2003

Serge Lourie, Liberal Democrat Leader on Richmond Council has given a warm welcome to the report by OFSTED report on the Local Education Authority (LEA) received today (14 January).

The report describes the LEA's performance as highly satisfactory and awards the LEA Grade 3.

"This report is a tribute to the hard work put in by the teachers and people working for the Local Education Authority."

"It is a verdict on the Liberal Democrat policies on education over 19 years. We are justly very proud of our schools and the education offered to local people. We always believed that this was the Council's highest priority."

"I should also like to play tribute to Cllrs Brian Miller and Stephen Knight for the years when they had responsibility for education."

The 2003 report outlines thirteen key strengths judged to be good or very good as follows:

 Monitoring and intervention of strategies;  Identification of and intervention in under-performing schools;  Support for literacy;  Support for numeracy;  Support for gifted and talented pupils in schools;  Provision of catering services;  Assuring the supply and quality of teachers;  The leadership of services to support school improvement;  The deployment of staff to support school improvement;  Admission to schools;  Effectiveness in combating racism;  The quality of advice given to elected members;

There are also a high number of satisfactory and highly satisfactory judgements, with five areas requiring further progress. These will form the basis of an action plan drawn up with schools and other partners.