Westminster Children’s Services Maintain Outstanding Rating

Thursday, 17 October, 2019

Local News

Conservative-led Westminster City Council’s Children’s Services have been given an ‘Outstanding’ rating by Ofsted in every category they assess.

The services, provided in conjunction with The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, its teams and leadership were all highly praised. Ofsted recognised that services have improved since its last inspection in 2016.

Ofsted described the quality of Children’s Services work across both local authorities as, “exceptionally high, strongly focused on improving children’s circumstances and highly empowering and enabling for parents and carers.” The long-term impact of Westminster City Council’s work was singled out for praise.

The Conservative Councils are the first local authorities to sustain an ‘outstanding’ rating. The rating is currently held by two other Councils (Hampshire and North Yorkshire) across the UK.

Responding to the report, Councillor Heather Acton, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Family Services, said:

“We are proud of our excellent services for children and young people across Westminster – and this Ofsted report gives the highest possible praise for our rigorous and innovative approach. Credit must go to our amazing officers and also to our partners.

“The inspectors state that they saw the way we work with our partners and use resources effectively to ensure that we get the best results possible.

“I am really delighted to see as well that they were impressed by the way we are not afraid to try new ideas to improve services.”

Mark Field, Member of Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster, also congratulated the hard work of the Conservative-led Council, “It’s fantastic to hear that Westminster City Council’s Children’s Services have once again been rated as outstanding across the board by Ofsted.

My congratulations to everyone at the Council whose dedication to the vulnerable children of Westminster and their families has deservedly been recognised. Your hard work and innovative approach to improving the lives of less fortunate children has given so many of them a brighter future than they might have imagined. Very well done and thoroughly deserved”

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Church Street

The ward of Church Street lies towards the northeast of Westminster.

Pimlico South

Pimlico South ward covers the Southern part of Pimlico.

Harrow Road

The ward of Harrow Road lies in the north of Westminster. It is bordered to the north east by Maida Vale, the south by Westbourne and the north west by Queens Park.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park Ward is home to Paddington Station, the development around Paddington Basin, St. Mary's Hospital (part of the Imperial College Healthcare Trust which is the UK's first Academic Health Science Centre) the only Hospital in the City of Westminster, and the bustle of Edgware Road.

Knightsbridge & Belgravia

Knightsbridge & Belgravia ward is at the western boundary of the Cities of London & Westminster constituency. As well as the Westminster parts of Knightsbridge & Belgravia, part of Hyde Park is also within the ward.

Lancaster Gate

Lancaster Gate lies in the west of Westminster.

Little Venice

Little Venice is located in the northeast of Westminster. The ward is bordered by Church Street and Abbey Road to the east. Maida Vale to the north, Westbourne and Hyde Park to the south.

Maida Vale

Maida Vale is located to the northwest of Westminster. The ward is bordered to the northeast by Abbey Road, to the southeast by Little Venice, to the south by Westbourne and to the southwest by Harrow Road.

Marylebone

Marylebone ward stretches from Marylebone Road to Wigmore Street, north to south, and from Portland Place to Edgware Road, east to west. The ward is currently represented by three Conservative Councillors; Barbara Arzymanow, Ian Rowley and Karen Scarborough. To find out more abou

Queen's Park

Queen's Park ward is a largely residential area in the northwest of the City.

Regent's Park

Regent's Park lies in the north of Westminster. It is bordered to the south east by Marylebone, the west by Church Street and the north by Abbey Road.

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Pimlico North

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The ward of Westbourne lies in the north of Westminster.