Advice can be found at oxme.info and on the National Careers Service’s website, or through its helpline 0800 100 900.

Young people interested in apprenticeships can visit a number of websites for further information: oxme, Gov.UK or UCAS.

While those who haven’t got the grades needed for their planned next steps and may be rethinking their college or sixth form options, the council encourages them to speak to their school’s careers officer, form tutor or head of year.

Students can also contact Activate Learning, Abingdon and Witney College or Henley College if further education is a preferred option.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Well done to students who have received their desired results. However, regardless of how well you’ve done, the big question will now be ‘what do I do next?’

“Some students will have decided; perhaps staying in education, beginning an apprenticeship or other type of training, or straight into a job. However, for others, it will be a time of reflection and possibly a need to adjust plans.

“Luckily, there are many choices, and support is available through a number of services that offer help for young people.

“I’d like to thank the many educational professionals who have taught and mentored our young people during their time in Oxfordshire’s schools and colleges.”

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Help is on offer about continuing in education to seeking employment or training from key and trusted organisations.

Advice can be found at oxme.info and on the National Careers Service’s website or through its helpline 0800 100 900.

Young people interested in apprenticeships can visit a number of websites for further information: oxme, Gov.UK or UCAS.

While those who haven’t got the grades necessary for higher education or their university of choice, there are options. Students can access key advice from UCAS or can read the education hub blog on Gov.UK.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Results day is always a big moment for young people and regardless of how well you’ve done, for many the big question will now be ‘what do I do next?’

“Some students will have a clear path forward. However, for others, it will be a time of reflection, perhaps adjusting plans, or for some who decided to have a break from the moment they finished their final lesson or exam; now it’s time to consider their options.

“Luckily, there are many choices available, from higher education, like university, to beginning work, starting a career on an apprenticeship or embarking on a training programme.

“Support is available through a number of services that offer help for young people.

“I’d like to thank the many educational professionals who have taught and mentored our young people during their time in Oxfordshire’s schools and colleges.”

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Children and young people are at the heart of ongoing efforts to create a fairer future for all in the county, as Oxfordshire County Council commits to acting on the findings of a recent report by the Institute of Health Equity, as part of becoming a Marmot Place.

The report, Starting stronger, fairer futures in Oxfordshire, sets out clear evidence that while people in Oxfordshire generally live longer and healthier lives than the national average, outcomes are not experienced equally, with significant differences between communities.

It brings together data alongside insight from local partners and communities and recognises the strong foundation of work already under way across Oxfordshire, while also noting that further action is needed to ensure that support reaches those who need it most and is delivered at the right scale.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “Oxfordshire is a county with many strengths, but this report outlines that not everyone has the same opportunities to live a healthy life.

“We welcome these findings. Tackling the inequalities highlighted in this report is a priority for this administration, and the evidence will help guide our next steps as we work with partners to reduce inequalities.

“Our aim is to ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live or their circumstances, has the chance to thrive.”

Matin Reeves, Chief Executive of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This report is an important milestone in our shared ambition to tackle health inequalities across Oxfordshire. It shows clearly that while overall outcomes are strong, there are unacceptable differences between and within communities that we must address.

“We are committed to working with partners across health, education, the voluntary and community sector, and local businesses to build on existing efforts and turn the report’s recommendations into clear and deliverable actions.

“This includes a particular focus on ensuring every child has the best start in life, strengthening early intervention, and addressing the wider factors that influence health and wellbeing.

“By working together, we can build a fairer Oxfordshire where every child and family has the opportunity to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.”

Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity, said: “Oxfordshire has shown real leadership by becoming a Marmot Place. The IHE is now working with nearly 70 places across the country, including the whole of Scotland and Wales. We are building up a wealth of evidence on how to implement the eight principles for greater health equity. The task now for Oxfordshire is to build on the strong work already under way and create the conditions that allow all local residents to flourish, equitably.”

Work is already under way to develop detailed action plans that will translate the report’s recommendations into practical steps. These will focus on improving outcomes for children, young people and families, and supporting healthier communities across the county.

Back in 2019, Index of Multiple Deprivation data identified ten communities in Oxfordshire with small areas in the 20 per cent most deprived nationally. In October 2025, the most recent data showed that this had reduced to eight.

More information

Oxfordshire is working with University College London’s Institute of Health Equity to understand the factors causing different health outcomes for our population. Health is impacted by many factors in life, such as having good quality homes, a stable income and good education, as well as lifestyle choices such as what we eat and how much exercise we take.  

Marmot places are local areas that adopt evidence-based principles and methodology developed by Sir Michael Marmot and his team, to tackle the causes of health inequalities.

Read the report in full by visiting the Institute of Health Equity's website.

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Expansion of Oxford’s Mabel Prichard Special School will be achieved by remodelling and refurbishing the recently vacated foundation stage accommodation at Orchard Meadow Primary School, which is co-located on the same site.

The project will deliver three new classrooms, pupil toilets, a group room, and ancillary accommodation. Plans also include the creation of an improved entrance, office space, staff room, and supporting accommodation, and will provide additional car parking and enhanced highway access to the school.

A full business case is due to be submitted for approval by the county council’s cabinet in August 2026, with an estimated total capital budget exceeding £2m.

Mabel Prichard Special School is managed by the Gallery Trust; they are delivering this project using funding provided by the county council.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “We’re determined to continue investing in services for Oxfordshire’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) children and this commitment is reflected in these exciting plans for Mabel Prichard Special School.

“This will be a partnership approach, working with families, the academy trust, and communities to make a difference to the way children and young people get the support they deserve to help them thrive.”

Pupils and staff at Grove Church of England Primary School are set to benefit from a £9.4 million investment in new buildings and improvements.

Grove CE Primary School is an academy managed by Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, who are delivering this project using funding provided by the county council.

A major building project will expand the school’s capacity from 210 to 315 primary pupil places, plus 39 new nursery places.

The budget for this project was approved in an outline business case in June 2025, with the full business case scheduled for consideration within a few months’ time.

The project will be managed by the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, which is responsible for the school, working in partnership with the county council and David Wilson Homes, who is delivering a new housing development in the north of Grove.

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Property, said: “These exciting plans for Grove Church of England Primary School are designed to provide high quality teaching and learning environments for children by adding nearly 150 places for primary and nursery pupils to meet future needs, supported by our partner Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust. We are also progressing ambitious proposals for Faringdon Community College.”

The new school building will consist of seven classrooms, a hall and kitchen, main entrance reception area, and administrative and staff accommodation. The existing building will be remodelled to create accommodation for nursery and reception aged pupils.

David Wilson Homes will provide the council with additional land to facilitate this school expansion. On the additional land will be a full-sized all-weather sports pitch, and a new main entrance into the school site with parking for staff and visitors.

Work on the new building is due to start in February 2027.

Faringdon Community College is the third educational establishment for investment, with proposals to replace four temporary buildings – eight classrooms – with permanent accommodation, which will be delivered in two phases.

Faringdon Community College is a secondary school academy, managed by Cambrian Learning Trust. Cambrian Learning Trust is delivering the project using funding provided by the county council.

Phase one will be a two storey teaching block with seven classrooms, three group rooms, offices, toilets, and a large first floor circulation and breakout area.

The second phase of the project will be a student centre with secure student reception, five work rooms, three staff meeting rooms, offices and toilets.

Construction is due to start later in 2026.

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From rugby and museum trips to cookery lessons and camping, free activities are available for children across the county through Oxfordshire County Council’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme this summer.

Open to all children aged four to sixteen in receipt of free school meals, the programme offers up to sixteen sessions of enriching activities over the summer holidays.

Each session lasts at least four hours and includes at least 60 minutes of physical activity, practical advice on eating well, and a healthy meal.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “This programme provides free activities and meals for more than 18,000 children and young people in Oxfordshire who are eligible for free school meals and is something we have introduced in response to the closure of the national Holiday Free School Meal voucher scheme. It helps support children’s health and wellbeing while reducing holiday hunger and social isolation and is just another example of how we are working to tackle health inequalities across the county.

“By taking part in activities such as these, children can build confidence, try new things and stay engaged during the holidays, while they can also give families extra support and access to opportunities they might not otherwise have. Sign up now!”

Activities include sport, arts and crafts, museum visits, science, outdoor adventures, nature-based learning and cookery sessions.

Sessions are being delivered by local organisations in communities across Oxfordshire, with a wide range of options available to suit different ages and interests.

Families can find and book activities by visiting the HAF platform, where eligibility will be checked automatically against existing records. The website includes full details of the activities available in different areas of the county.

Anyone with questions about the programme can email HAF@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

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This was in response to national education reform plans following the publication of the Schools White Paper ‘Every child achieving and thriving’ and the SEND consultation ‘Putting children and young people first.’

Councils must submit their SEND reform plan to the Department for Education by 19 June 2026.

Earlier this year, Ofsted recognised that there have been improvements in SEND services in Oxfordshire. Significant progress in jointly commissioning services and reducing waiting times for critical support, was also acknowledged.

The SEND reform plan sets out key proposals for children to receive the right support earlier and closer to home by strengthening inclusion in mainstream schools; recruiting more educational psychologists and therapists to improve access to specialist support; creating inclusion support bases; and working more closely with families through local support services.

In developing the plan, a series of workshops were held with health, schools and education settings, and the Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum.

The plan is based on a shared vision to create a more inclusive system where all children feel supported and can thrive, getting the right support at the right time.

The system will be developed over the next three years to:

• Focus on early intervention for children and young people at mainstream schools and settings.
• Provide access to universal and targeted support that is not currently available in the system.
• Deliver a needs led approach, improving outcomes for children and young people.
• Ensuring that a partnership approach informs service delivery.

If approved, Oxfordshire County Council will receive a high needs stability grant, which could cover up to 90 per cent of the dedicated schools grant deficit.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “Every child deserves an opportunity to thrive whatever their circumstances and this plan sets out how we will deliver better, more inclusive support for children and young people with SEND. We are working closely with partners and with families, children and young people who are at the heart of the SEND system.

“It’s a vital step towards improving outcomes while making sure our services are sustainable for the future.”

If approved, progress will be monitored closely, with regular updates to ensure the changes deliver lasting improvements for children and young people across Oxfordshire.

SEND services in Oxfordshire are provided by a local area partnership, which includes Oxfordshire County Council; NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board (formerly NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board); Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust; Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum; and professional subject matter leads.

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Tracy Hinton and Sarah Black, from the Henley area, are therapeutic foster carers; they are sharing their experience of making a difference to young people in the hope that others will feel motivated to follow in their footsteps, either as mainstream foster carers or in a more specialist therapeutic role.

Therapeutic fostering involves supporting children who need some extra care and stability in their placements because they have had a difficult start in life.

Tracy also works with children who are neurodiverse. Fostering has always been something she wanted to pursue alongside this work, and her experience meant she was well placed for a journey into mainstream foster care before later moving into the niche role of therapeutic.

Tracy said: “I love both the challenge and emotional reward, playing an important part in developing these young people’s self-esteem, belief and understanding in overcoming and managing their emotions.”

Sarah was working as a mental health nurse manager in Oxfordshire before fostering. This type of care work was an ideal background and, like Tracy, she began with mainstream foster care before taking a similar route into her therapeutic fostering role.

Sarah said: “The therapeutic approach was particularly meaningful to me because it prioritises understanding the root causes of a child’s behaviour and providing appropriate care and responses. The support received from the wider Oxfordshire County Council team is invaluable and I really enjoy this work.

“Seeing its positive effects motivates me to continue helping young people overcome difficult early experiences in this way."

Tracy and Sarah receive training and support from Oxfordshire County Council’s therapeutic fostering team, giving them a deeper understanding of the psychology behind children’s behaviour and how to respond with empathy and confidence.

Therapeutic foster care provides a wraparound service for each child, with carers playing an active and valued role at the heart of a wider council support team.

One young person who was supported by the therapeutic fostering team had struggled emotionally and lacked confidence following multiple disrupted experiences in their early upbringing.

Tracy said: “Through the regular and consistent care we gave, with a strong therapeutic approach, gradually we connected with the child. Trust was built, slowly they came out of their shell, a personality started to shine through, and they were in a better place emotionally to enjoy life and make the most of their future.

“It was quite a slow process, which is understandable, but patience brings its rewards, and that’s what we both love about fostering and why by sharing our story we hope more people in Oxfordshire will consider giving it a go.”

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “Tracy and Sarah are role models, along with our other 146 approved fostering families.

“Through care and dedication, they make a big difference to the lives of children who, for various reasons, need to be cared for outside of their own family. I admire and congratulate each and every one of our dedicated foster carers.

“Our foster care service is not for profit, and where possible we are committed to keeping children and young people near to their birth families, friends and schools.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s foster carers receive:

• Generous fees, paid in addition to the child’s allowance, based on experience and skills.
• Dedicated social worker support.
• Access to professionals involved with the child/children, linked with support groups and specialised training.

For further information about becoming a foster carer, visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/fostering, email fostering@oxfordshire.gov.uk or phone  0800 783 5724.

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Identical twins Chris and Johnny Taylor, aged 18 and from Charlbury, are studying for their A levels alongside training as boxers at Banbury Boxing Club.

They entered foster care at 14, where the stability and support they received helped shape the exciting direction their lives are now taking.

Johnny said: “Our days are very structured now and that’s something that could only have happened through being fostered.

“When we first moved in with our brilliant foster carer, Lucy, life felt uncertain and we weren’t always sure what support would be available to us, everything felt strange and new.

“However, over time, that began to change as routine and structure gradually became a source of reassurance, helping us feel more secure and confident, something we hadn’t really had until that point.

“At first it felt like staying at a friend’s house, then after a while it felt like home.

“Once you’re settled, then you can dream; your ambition and drive kick in. We both love boxing, and train and coach together at Banbury Boxing Club. But it doesn’t end there because we also share knowledge about fitness and sports nutrition on our social media channels. You’ll find us on TikTok: thetaylortwins07 and Instagram: thetaylortwins.07.”

The twins’ commitment to boxing, alongside their academic studies, has brought its rewards; they were recently offered unconditional places on the psychology and sports performance undergraduate course at University of Portsmouth, where they’ll enrol in September 2026.

Having their own bedrooms and taking part in everyday family activities, such as shared dinners, holidays abroad, and spending time together, has helped the twins feel settled and truly at home, and they believe this has played an important role in how opportunities are now falling into place.

Chris sums it up: “It just makes everything calm, you know, it’s like we can wake up, we know what we’re doing, no stress.”

Their foster carer, Lucy, isn’t left to provide support alone, assistance comes from Oxfordshire County Council’s dedicated foster care team and by being linked with a wider network such as peer support from other fostering families.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “Chris and Johnny’s experience shows how fostering can make a real difference for children and young people, replacing uncertainty with stability, support and a sense of belonging that is now helping them pursue their ambitions.

“I hope in Chris and Johnny we have two future boxing stars and I wish them the very best.

“We have 147 approved fostering families and I admire and congratulate each and every one of them for their dedication and commitment to young people.

“Our foster care service is not for profit, and where possible we are committed to keeping children and young people near to their birth families, friends and schools.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s foster carers receive:

• Generous fees, paid in addition to the child’s allowance, based on experience and skills.
• Dedicated social worker support.
• Access to professionals involved with the child/children, linked with support groups and specialised training.

For further information about becoming a foster carer, visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/fostering, email fostering@oxfordshire.gov.uk or phone 0800 783 5724.

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On Wednesday 15 April 2026, Oxfordshire County Council and NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board (NHS Thames Valley) received a letter from The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education, recognising ongoing improvements in services for Oxfordshire’s SEND children.

The secretary of state noted that Oxfordshire’s local area partnership (LAP) has strengthened how the views of children and young people with SEND, as well as parents and carers, are gathered and used in strategic planning.

There have been improvements in communication and information sharing across the partnership, including monitoring the impact of the partnership’s actions and enhanced timeliness of education and health care plans (EHCPs).

Significant progress in jointly commissioning services and reducing waiting times for critical support, was also acknowledged by the secretary of state in her letter.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “The government’s decision to remove the improvement notice is encouraging. Close partnership working has helped us to review, reset and rebuild services.

“The government does, quite rightly, expect the services and support we collectively provide to keep getting better. We are committed to this and will continue to engage and listen to children, young people with SEND and their families as part of our improvement journey.”

Dr Nick Broughton, Executive Lead, NHS Thames Valley, said: “We welcome the decision to lift the improvement notice and recognise it as an important milestone for SEND services in Oxfordshire. This reflects the commitment and hard work of colleagues across the local area partnership, and the willingness of organisations to come together, challenge ourselves and work differently in the interests of children and young people.

“We know, however, that this is not the end of the journey. There is still more to do to ensure services are consistently timely, joined up and responsive, and to rebuild confidence with families. We hope that parents, carers and children are beginning to see the impact of the changes being made, but we remain focused on sustained improvement and listening carefully to their experiences as we continue this work together.”

The LAP includes Oxfordshire County Council; NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board (formerly NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board); Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust; Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum; and professional subject matter leads.

Notes

In July 2023, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission undertook a local area partnership inspection of SEND services

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In total 93.9 per cent of pupils have received a first preference offer in Oxfordshire and 99.2 per cent were offered a preferred school.

This year’s national figures will be published later in the year.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “Children’s early years are an important stepping stone that will set them up for the future, which is why we place great importance in our aim of providing primary places based on parents’ preferences.

“It’s likely to take these children a bit of time to adjust to their new experience of going to school, therefore I’m pleased we’ve been able to offer the vast majority of applicants their first choice.

“Thanks to the county council teams who have been working hard to deliver this outcome.”

Some families are not offered their first preference where applications for their preferred school exceed available spaces and those who are not happy with their allocated place can appeal by 15 May 2026.

Children's names can also be added to waiting lists in case places become available at schools they are interested in between now and September. Waiting lists start on 22 June 2026.

Anyone who has yet to apply for a primary school place for their child for September 2026 should email the council on admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk or phone 01865 519800 (option 2).

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Amy Snell, who lives in Wallingford and works for the council’s children’s services team, was put forward for BASW’s Amazing Social Workers initiative by an anonymous person who experienced her dedication in making a positive difference to young people’s lives.

Their testimonial gave extensive praise to Amy, including:

“Amy embodies what it means to be a social worker. She is fearless and compassionate in advocating for human rights, protecting adults and children, and supporting her colleagues. Amy shares her expertise generously with colleagues, newer members of staff and now after working for several years supporting children and families, she continues to promote and protect the rights of adults she comes into contact with through her work.”

Responding to the praise, Amy said: “This is so unexpected, I didn’t put myself forward for recognition and because the person who nominated me has done so without revealing their name, it’s both a pleasant surprise and a bit of a mystery!

“My passion is making a difference to children and their families, not making headlines, just quietly taking pride when young people overcome challenges.

“However, if I can showcase the vital role of social workers through this achievement and encourage more people to join the profession, I’m delighted to be one of the faces of BASW’s campaign.”

Amy studied at Oxford Brookes university, qualifying as a social worker in 2019 and has worked for Oxfordshire County Council ever since.

Her current role in the multi-agency safeguarding hub involves providing early help to families, with a commitment, where possible, to resolve problems so that parents and children remain together.

Amy’s intervention is needed for a variety of different challenges, including young people experiencing mental wellbeing issues, drug and alcohol abuse, bullying and, in some cases, exploitation by gangs.

It’s very much a team effort. Amy liaises with partner organisations and volunteers such as the police, schools, health services, foster carers, adopters and the families themselves.

Amy said: “The job of social workers can be misunderstood, sometimes because we’re misrepresented in television dramas and soaps. It’s therefore daunting for families when they come in contact with us, often for the first time, and part of my role is to reassure.

“Although we have fantastic foster carers who can provide loving environments for vulnerable children it’s about trying to support families before that level of extra care is needed.

“I speak to parents whose son or daughter may have severe mental or physical health problems and it’s important they feel heard about their situation as we work together in search of solutions.

“I take on over 20 cases most weeks. The vast majority will have positive outcomes for families. That’s hugely rewarding for me, knowing I’ve played my part in a young person’s life, helping them conquer adversity, setting them up for what I hope will be a happy and fulfilling future. It’s what gets me out of bed each morning!”

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “Amy, like so many of our social workers, is a shining example of compassion, dedication and professionalism.

“Our commitment to make a difference to the lives of every young person in Oxfordshire means her profession, quite rightly, deserves maximum recognition. Amy goes above and beyond on a regular basis because she wants to help children and families overcome adversity, giving them the very best chance to succeed in reaching goals and realising their potential. Well done Amy, we’re proud of you.”

BASW will feature all the recognised social workers on its website and social media channels throughout March.

Lewis Roberts, BASW Vice-Chair, said: “We’re proud to run our Amazing Social Workers campaign for its sixth consecutive year. It is a wonderful way for our profession to celebrate inspiring social work practice and pay tribute to the many individual and collective successes that deserve to be noticed.

“Across our communities, social workers go above and beyond to make a positive difference to the lives of adults, children and families they support.

“Congratulations to everyone who has been recognised this year and thank you for all you do every day.”

Further information about becoming a children’s social worker is available by emailing careers@oxfordshire.gov.uk or by visiting Oxfordshire County Council’s website

Notes

• The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) is the independent professional association for social work in the UK, with just under 21,000 members. Its mission is to act for social workers, the profession and for a better society.
• The Amazing Social Workers campaign will form part of BASW’s celebrations for World Social Work Day on Tuesday 17 March, an international event raising awareness and visibility of social work. This year’s theme is ‘Co-building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society.’
• More information about the Amazing Social Workers campaign can be found on BASW’s website.

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In total 85.4 per cent of pupils have received a first preference offer in Oxfordshire and 96.4 per cent were offered a preferred school. This year’s national figures will be published later in the year.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “We aim to give all children the best start in life and educational and learning opportunities are fundamental to this.

“It’s a big step moving from primary to secondary school, often from a small school to a very much larger setting. So, I’m delighted that we have been able to offer the vast majority of applicants their first choice of school.

“Thanks to the county council teams who have been working hard to deliver this outcome.”

Some families are not offered their first preference where applications for particular schools exceed available spaces.

Families wishing to challenge the outcome of their application can appeal by 31 March 2026.

Children's names can also be added to waiting lists in case places become available at schools they are interested in between now and September. Waiting lists start on 25 May.

Anyone who has yet to apply for a secondary school place for their child for September 2026 should email the council on admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk or phone 01865 519800 (option 2).

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Over £1m per year has been approved to fund a further 20 enhanced pathways and continue funding the 40 already in place, spreading support as widely as possible across the county.

The initiative, developed within mainstream schools, provides teachers with the ability to deliver small group support for children with SEND.

Bespoke and specialised curriculums are offered, designed to meet the social, emotional, sensory and academic needs of each young person.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “These new enhanced pathways build on our commitment to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), giving them access to the right support at the right time.

“Already 292 children and young people benefit from our dedicated provision and support in mainstream schools, and I know there is no doubt whatsoever in what the benefits will be of more enhanced pathways.”

The locations of the new enhanced pathways will be decided towards the end of the spring term, giving time for schools to submit an application.

The initiative was first introduced in the 2021-22 academic year at around £500,000 per year. With the approved investment today Oxfordshire County Council has increased annual funding to £3 million across a total of 60 enhanced pathways.

Any parent wanting more information about available support should talk to their children’s school about its approach to inclusion.

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Action on Carbon and Energy in Schools (ACES), an energy efficiency support service funded by Oxfordshire County Council, has been supporting schools with applying for a loan.

William Fletcher Primary School at Yarnton near Kidlington, St Swithun’s CE Primary School in Kennington, and St Ebbe’s CE Primary School in Oxford have each secured interest free funding through the council’s loan scheme.

The scheme has been running since July 2023 to help maintained schools reduce energy use and cut operational costs.

The loans support the installation of a range of energy saving measures including rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, battery storage and energy‑efficient LED lighting.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “This is great news for the environment and for the children who will have an opportunity in their early years to not only experience the benefits of energy efficiency in their classrooms, but also to learn about why reducing carbon emissions is good for the planet.

“There’s more to come too, with eighteen further schools having successfully applied for energy efficiency loans and details of their plans will be released in coming months.”

William Fletcher Primary School has secured around £70,000 to install both solar PV and LED lighting.

Claire Martin, Headteacher at William Fletcher Primary School, said: “We are delighted to have installed solar panels and LED lighting at our school. This is an important step in reducing our environmental impact and shows our commitment to creating a more sustainable future for our pupils and community.

“The project gives our pupils a real life example of how renewable energy works and why sustainability matters. It’s an exciting opportunity to link learning with positive action.”

St Swithun’s CE Primary School has been awarded nearly £60,000 to introduce solar PV, battery storage and LED lighting.

Amanda Giles, School Business Manager at St Swithun’s CE Primary School, said: “By having the solar panels installed we have lowered our carbon footprint and we are meeting our sustainability targets as a school. Our eco council is becoming a great role model by sharing knowledge on the importance of clean energy with fellow students.“

St Ebbe’s CE Primary School is also benefiting, having received just over £14,500 for a whole school upgrade to LED lighting.

Nicole Grazier, School Business Manager at St Ebbe’s CE Primary School, said: “With this grant we were able to replace the old lighting with LED lights. This was a large project that we would not have been able to complete without the funding. The savings that will come from this will be fed into other energy saving projects we have planned, reducing our carbon footprint.“

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A monitoring inspection to assess progress began on 15 September and ended with onsite activity between 29 September and 1 October 2025. Ofsted and CQC found that the local area partnership has taken effective action in all five areas that were previously identified as priorities.

The review recognised strengthened governance, improved communication and enhanced opportunities for children, young people and their families to contribute to service planning and evaluation.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “We have been working extremely hard across the local area partnership to make necessary improvements following the 2023 inspection. Ofsted and the CQC’s latest report makes it clear that real progress is now being made and I praise our dedicated teams for their tireless efforts over many months.

“However, we will never allow ourselves to be complacent. The inspectors’ report is a significant milestone, providing valuable feedback and recommendations to ensure going forward there will be consistency across every aspect of SEND provision.

“We will continue to listen and involve families on this important journey of improvement for children and young people.”

During the monitoring visit, inspectors spoke to local area leaders, parents and carers of children and young people with SEND, and education, health and social care professionals. They also met with representatives of the parent carers forum (PCF) and other organised parent groups, the Department for Education and regional NHS England. They reviewed the performance of the local area partnership in addressing the priority actions identified at the initial inspection, including the priority action plan, self-evaluation and a range of evidence.

The inspectors noted that improved systems have been put in place for gathering and acting on the views of children and young people with SEND. The partnership has strengthened governance and leadership structures to ensure stable representation of partners and stakeholders, including the PCF, at the SEND Improvement and Assurance Board to help shape improvements. Leaders have developed a range of groups and committees that feed into this board, including the SEND Youth Forum and SEND Together events.

Inspectors recognised that clearer communication structures and increased partnership working are helping to better meet children’s needs. Professionals and services are working together more closely and are beginning to improve their use of children and young people’s views to help plan their support. This is starting to improve experiences for children and young people with SEND and their families.

The timeliness and quality of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) have improved overall, with swifter decision making and improved waiting times for needs assessments.

There are clear processes in place to help ensure that children and young people with SEND only access services that have been quality assured by the local authority. Leaders have created improved oversight to ensure that children and young people with SEND use suitable and safe provision that meets their needs more effectively.

School leaders have also benefitted from increased training provided by the partnership. In some schools, partnership-funded enhanced pathways have been implemented to support the inclusion of all children and young people with SEND. As a result, many children and young people’s needs are being more effectively met in mainstream settings.

Successful pilot projects in areas such as speech and language screening were cited as positive examples of joint commissioning arrangements to enhance services and support for SEND children and young people. However, concerns were noted in terms of the potential long-term sustainability of some initiatives.

Inspectors confirmed that partnership leaders now have effective oversight of the progress and impact of initiatives designed to improve the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND. The strengthened partnership structure brings together health, social care, education and parents effectively enabling a move towards more effective collaborative working. The partnership has stable foundations for improvement, and the systems to monitor and measure the impacts.

Dr Nick Broughton, Chief Executive at NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, said: “We’re making real progress since the 2023 inspection thanks to the dedication of our teams, but we know there’s more to do. We’ll keep working with families to ensure every child and young person receives the consistent, high quality support they deserve.”

Inspectors made a number of recommendations, encouraging the local area partnership to continue to expand and strengthen opportunities for children, young people and families to share their views and influence decisions, particularly for those whose voices are less often heard.

The report recognised leaders know they have more work to do to build confidence with families, ensuring their opinions, and those of their children, are integral to future improvements.

Work must continue to address inconsistencies in communication between education and health services to provide a truly coordinated approach for all children and young people with SEND.

The inspectors emphasised a need for ongoing consistent quality assurance and regular reviews of education, health and care plans (EHCPs) so that all children receive detailed and appropriate support as their needs change.

Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission stressed that while effective action has been taken by the partnership, continued effort is required to sustain and build on these improvements. The local area partnership has been asked to update its SEND priority action plan as a result of the monitoring inspection.

Notes

• A copy of the latest report from Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission is available online.
• In July 2023, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission undertook a local area partnership inspection of SEND services.
• The local area partnership includes Oxfordshire County Council, NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB), Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Oxfordshire Parent Carers Forum (OxPCF), the official body for the voice of parent carers. 

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Last year in Oxfordshire, 94.59 per cent of primary school children were allocated their first preference school.

There are currently over 50,000 primary pupils in Oxfordshire and over 230 primary schools.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “Our school admissions team will always do their very best to meet parental preference where possible.

"Please do name four schools. This will not make it less likely that your first preference will be offered, however, it does reduce the risk of all preferences being unsuccessful and your child being allocated a place at a school that is not named on their list.

“I encourage you to please apply on time because late applications will be processed later in the year and are far less likely to secure places at preferred schools than applications received before the deadline.” 

Applications should be submitted online at: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/primaryadmissions

The deadline for submitting completed applications is 15 January 2026.

Parents and carers will then be contacted with the result to their application on National Offer Day, 16 April 2026.

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Families with young children and health professionals can look forward to a range of events across the county to mark Baby Week 2025, taking place 14 - 21 November.

Oxfordshire County Council is joining partners to participate in this national initiative, which brings different sectors and services together to champion the early years.

The theme for 2025, ‘healthy parent, healthy baby’, highlights the link between a child’s wellbeing and the health, support and resilience of their caregiver.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Inequalities, said: “Joining in with Baby Week offers a wonderful opportunity for families, health professionals and local organisations to come together, share experiences and learn from one another.

“The week aims to foster a sense of community through a variety of activities designed to support the health and development of babies and their parents.

“By participating, attendees can access valuable resources, expert advice and practical support tailored to the needs of Oxfordshire’s youngest residents and their families.”

The programme will shine a light on parental health and wellbeing, feeding and prenatal nutrition, movement and activity, early learning, healthy families and communities and much more.

Launch events will be held on Friday 14 November at Toddlers World, White Horse Leisure & Tennis Centre, and at the Rose Buds Stay & Play session in Rose Hill, with events across the county and online throughout the week. Residents can find out what’s on by visiting Baby Week Oxfordshire’s website.

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The sessions organised by Oxfordshire County Council’s music service – for children in school years 4-6 and for girls aged 11-16 – aim to build on the success of a similar project attended by 15 young people last year, when 13 tracks were produced.

The project gives children and young people an opportunity to learn how to make their own music using digital audio workstation (DAW) software on iPads and MacBook Pros.

They learn to create their own original tracks and cover versions, using loops, playing keyboards and singing or rapping in a portable recording studio setup.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Blending technology with music is an exciting way to develop interest among young people, unlocking a creative talent they might not even know they possess, and who knows a future career as a recording artist or producer.

“These and other themed creative sessions also provide an incentive to attend the youth club, to make new friends and with the added bonus of learning something exciting away from the school classroom.

“We believe every young person should have a chance to access musical learning and our music service supports school children through a wide range of genres, from today’s contemporary pop music to more traditional choirs, chamber groups and orchestras. 

"Parents and guardians of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds can apply for funding for their child to access music tuition or hire instruments from Oxfordshire County Council’s music service.”

Rose Hill Junior Youth Club works with communities in two of the most deprived wards in Oxfordshire, with their free sessions providing safe, meaningful, creative and healthy activities designed to improve participants’ self-confidence, social skills, and independence.

Aimee Winkfield, Interim Director at Rose Hill Junior Youth Club, said: “The music tech sessions are an absolutely fantastic addition to our after school youth clubs, and the young people really enjoyed creating their own tracks and dancing along with the beats they made before the summer holidays.

“We are looking forward to resuming these sessions at our girls' club and also introducing them to children aged eight to 10 at our junior sessions in November. It’s wonderful to be able to access such enriching and creative activities and share with the community, through our youth clubs.”

Further information about Oxfordshire County Council’s music service is available on the council’s website.

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The council is one of the few in the country that continues to invest significantly in youth services, despite having no statutory obligation to do so.

The funding will be used to help shape a sustainable model for youth services that can be adopted both locally and nationally.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Youth work is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is a cornerstone of our preventative approach, helping young people build resilience, access opportunities, and thrive in their communities.

“We’re not required to provide our targeted youth support service (TYSS) – we do so because we believe passionately that support should be in place locally for young people at risk of exploitation, youth violence, and social isolation.

“That’s why it is a privilege that we’ve been chosen by the government to further design youth support that is futureproof, inclusive of voluntary and grassroots organisations, and responsive to the needs of our diverse communities.”

This new funding from government will not be invested directly by Oxfordshire County Council. Over the next few months it will be distributed among local partners that provide youth support, for them to allocate to projects across the county.

Oxfordshire County Council already runs a targeted youth support service, working directly with children and young people from across Oxfordshire, aged 11-18 (up to 25 years for those with additional needs), and was originally launched in 2021.

Its work includes one-to-one support for young people to identify aspirations, build confidence and strengthen their community connections. Group work in schools addresses key issues such as exploitation, violence against women and girls, and risks associated with social media.

Detached street based youth work responds to local communities affected by crime and anti-social behaviour, building positive relationships in young people’s own neighbourhoods.

The council recently initiated a peer review involving the National Youth Agency, representatives from the youth sector, as well as trained young reviewers, to ensure the service continues to meet the needs and aspirations of the young people it serves and supports.

Participants praised the clear sense of purpose of the youth support service, purposefully developed through good recruitment, with a clear remit and a flexible approach to need. It was evident there is a person centred, strength based approach to supporting individual young people’s needs and circumstances.

The reviewers observed that quality detached youth work is being delivered in some areas of the county, with youth workers knowing their communities and engaging with diverse and underrepresented groups.

Councillor Sean Gaul, said: “We are committed to supporting young people holistically. By working in partnership with schools, community organisations, police, and health services, we explore community based solutions to broader challenges such as emotional wellbeing and school engagement.

“Additionally, we collaborate with the voluntary sector, recognising that local communities know their young people best and are key to shaping effective, inclusive support.”

Further information about the targeted youth support service is available on the Oxme website.

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For years she has championed disability rights and accessible employment opportunities, Now she’s landed a job with Oxfordshire County Council as its special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) media support officer for supported internships.

The former Marlborough C of E School pupil and Abingdon and Witney College student proved herself at the council during a supported internship and at the end of it she was given a year long contract in the SEND role.

Maisy said: “There are so many opportunities for me, I can’t thank Oxfordshire County Council enough. I can even show off my creative side, developing a comic strip newsletter for young people, designed to be accessible to children and young people with SEND.

“I plan to visit one of the local colleges to interview students participating in a supported internship, sharing my own experiences, and with the goal of gathering ideas and information about ways to make workplaces more accessible and inclusive.”

To help Maisy complete the application and interview for both her supported internship and salaried role, Lydia Martin, senior SEND project officer at Oxfordshire County Council, made sure that the application process was accessible, meaning Maisy could compete on a level playing field with other candidates.

A job coach helped her prepare, including practice in answering anticipated questions before she went in front of the interview panel for real.

As Maisy’s line manager, Lydia makes sure they are both based on the ground floor of County Hall close to other colleagues. An adjustable desk is available for Maisy – she often works in a reclining position to avoid back pain – and her work pattern is carefully planned with regular short breaks, helping her concentrate on tasks more effectively.

Regular support from job coaches, within the council’s supported employment team – and paid for through national government’s access to work fund – ensures Maisy’s confidence and abilities continue to grow.

Maisy’s passion to make a difference goes above and beyond, so much so that she volunteers on Oxfordshire County Council’s SEND Youth Forum.

Also in her own time, she has recorded matchday experiences as a wheelchair user watching Oxford United FC, with the aim of helping the club make their stadium an even more accessible place. Although this work has been voluntary, it was really a “no brainer” for Maisy, she is a passionate ‘U’s’ fan!

Maisy said: “I want to be a voice for people with my condition, showing how widespread cerebral palsy is and how it can impact people in different ways. This has created another opportunity for me at the council, where I recently contributed to a new arts and culture project; the aim is to encourage more local organisations to be accessible for people with different conditions.

“If I can get people thinking about disability and special educational needs in a more positive way by showcasing what we can contribute to employers and society in general, then I will fly the flag and blow the trumpet until people listen and act.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s supported internships are education programmes for young people aged 16 - 25 with an education, health and care plan (EHCP), allowing work and study at the same time.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “I am determined that, where possible, our council embraces opportunities to give SEND young people opportunities to gain valuable work experience, and if they prove themselves and roles are available there’ll be potential for getting salaried jobs with us.

“I am therefore overjoyed by Maisy’s success. She is passionate and clearly wants to make a difference for those with a disability or who need extra support. It is these can-do strengths, this drive that we’re looking for. Her qualities shine through, and everyone is delighted that Maisy is now employed by the council, and in a role where she can make a difference to other young people.”

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Advice can be found at oxme.info and on the National Careers Service’s website, or through its helpline 0800 100 900.

Young people interested in apprenticeships can visit a number of websites for further information: oxme, Gov.UK or UCAS.

While those who haven’t got the grades needed for their planned next steps and may be rethinking their college or sixth form options, the council encourages them to speak to their school’s careers officer, form tutor or head of year.

Students can also contact Activate Learning, Abingdon and Witney College or Henley College if further education is a preferred option.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Well done to GCSE students who received their desired results. However, I know this is a day of mixed emotions, with some of you not attaining the grades you’d hoped for.

“For every student completing their GCSEs, you now have to decide what to do next, consider your options or adjust your plans.

“There are many choices, from continuing in education to beginning work, starting a career or an apprenticeship or embarking on a training programme.

“Support is available through a number of services that offer help for young people.

“I’d like to thank the wide number of educational professionals who have taught, coached and mentored our young people during their time in Oxfordshire’s schools and colleges.”

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Help is on offer about continuing in education to seeking employment or training.

Advice can be found at oxme.info and on the National Careers Service’s website or through its helpline 0800 100 900.

Young people interested in apprenticeships can visit a number of websites for further information: oxme, Gov.UK or UCAS.

While those who haven’t got the grades necessary for higher education or their university of choice, there are options. Students can access key advice from UCAS or can read the education hub blog on Gov.UK.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “As always, results day is one of mixed emotions, from celebrations to disappointments with many students asking ‘what do I do next?’

“Some students will have a clear way forward. However, for others, it will be a time of reflection, considering options or adjusting their plans.

“There are many choices available, from higher education, like university, to beginning work, starting a career on an apprenticeship or embarking on a training programme.

“Support is available through a number of services that offer help for young people.

“I’d like to thank the wide number of educational professionals who have taught, coached and mentored our young people during their time in Oxfordshire’s schools and colleges.”

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Will Reeves wants to transform lessons, making them exciting and interactive for children, using deep rooted music that runs through the local community as his starting point.

Helped by Oxfordshire County Council’s music service, pupils can now eagerly look forward to hands-on learning in history, geography and art, and a day of destiny at Fairport's Cropredy Convention.

The event runs from 7-9 August, and the pupils will be the first act on stage on Friday 8 August.

Will explains: “Our young people were missing an opportunity by not learning about folk music, which is a huge part of the Cropredy community, I was determined to change that.

“Supported by the county council’s brilliant peripatetic folk teacher and singer, Katie Harris, I shared my dream of the school’s children playing at a major event.

“We put our heads together, used our shared vision and contacts to open doors, and now things have fallen into place, some of our pupils will be performing in front of over 6,000 people at the Fairport Convention festival in Cropredy.”

However, preparing for the folk festival is only part of Will’s masterplan, he’s completely overhauled the rest of the school’s curriculum to give it a musical theme.

Pupils have been learning about local history through subtle music connections, such as ‘Red and Gold’ (a Fairport Convention song). The lyrics are about the Battle of Cropredy Bridge in 1644, during the English civil war, when Parliamentary soldiers failed in their attempt to capture King Charles I.

The humanities have been transformed too, with children learning about the canal system that flows through Cropredy. Geography and art fieldwork around the waterways and meadows of Fairport prove much more interesting than classroom work.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “For most school children, it’s nerve-wracking enough standing up in the school hall, so imagine the jitters, also the incredible excitement, for those lucky Cropredy primary pupils who will be performing in front of thousands of people at Fairport's Cropredy Convention.

“Across Oxfordshire, many pupils supported by our music service have special educational needs and disabilities. Music is a way for them to express themselves, overcome their challenges and provides them with aspirations and goals.

“At Cropredy Church of England Primary School, they’ve taken it to another level. Here music is central to the whole learning and development experience. I congratulate the headteacher and his team for having the foresight and determination to turn a vision into reality for the benefit of young people.”

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The events, designed for children up to the age of five, have run throughout the summer across central Oxford locations, attracting more than a thousand visitors.

They have been led by Oxfordshire County Council with support from Oxfordshire Play Association and Oxford City Council and proved so popular that an extra date was added at the car park outside County Hall yesterday.

The final two events will take place on Wednesday 16 July in Leiden Square in the Westgate Centre and Tuesday 22 July in the Castle Quarter, from 11am - 3pm.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “These well attended events have not only brought smiles and laughter to the city centre but have also sparked conversations about how we design our streets and public spaces.

“They have been a real success so far and offer a fresh, community-focused way of reimagining how we use urban space – particularly in the heart of the city. They are helping to redefine how city centre spaces can be used – making them more accessible, playful, and community-oriented.

“Feedback from residents has been overwhelmingly positive, with many calling for more permanent opportunities for play.”

The pop up play events, which have also taken place in Broad Street, have been designed to create a welcoming, supportive environment for families, with opportunities to connect with other parents and access useful resources.

Activities include sensory play, creative workshops, and story sessions from partners like the Ashmolean Museum, Story Museum, History of Science Museum, Museum of Oxford and Weston Library.

Councillor Mark Lygo, Chair of Oxfordshire County Council and a former trustee of Oxfordshire Play Association, has attended all of the nine events so far.

He said: “I’ve really enjoyed seeing families come together, relax, and play in places where you wouldn’t normally see it. People can just turn up and enjoy, there’s no need to book.

“It’s been a real success and our ambition is to keep it going in the future and even look at more locations.”

Lord Mayor of Oxford Councillor Louise Upton said: “It is so important for the healthy development of children to find time to play.  Providing space in the city centre where parents and  small children can relax and have some fun, allowing those warm, positive interactions to occur with care givers and other children is magical.

“It helps promote children's physical, emotional and social development, and makes life a little less stressful for their adults.”

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They trip instinctively off 20 year old Sorcha Calvert’s tongue – a resident of Bampton, near Witney – as she serves guests in the café at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in Oxford.

The confidence of this Abingdon and Witney College student is unrecognisable from a year ago, when the then self-doubting teenager was grappling with dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Oxfordshire County Council provided a tailored educational, health and care plan (EHCP), alongside a supported internship – through its employment team – to pave the way for her valuable work experience.

Sorcha said: “I’d always wanted to work in the hotel industry. I love meeting people, so hospitality felt perfect with ever changing guests who nearly always want a coffee, snack or to dine in the restaurant.

“But where do you start? Finding a job is daunting for anyone, even more so when you’ve got additional needs and dyslexia like me. But I was determined and made my approach to the Leonardo Royal Hotel in Oxford at a job fair. Then the council’s brilliant internship team helped push me through the door; they had a contact who worked there.

“They explained to the manager how well I was progressing at college, emphasising my willingness to learn and that I’m a natural people person.

“Here I am, three months later, the internship has been such a success that I’ve been taken on permanently, initially in the café – thanks to my mastery of the many types of coffee – and with opportunities to progress to eventually work in the restaurant.”

The council’s supported internship team continue to provide ongoing assistance, such as help completing forms and paperwork required by Sorcha’s hotel employer. And in accessing training and development opportunities offered by the Leonardo Royal group.

Madalina Duminica, Food and Beverage Director for the Leonardo Royal Hotel Oxford, said: “Sorcha joined us just over six weeks ago, initially shy and unsure, but with support and guidance, she quickly grew in confidence and ability. She has blossomed into an exceptional team member, friendly, approachable, and always willing to go the extra mile for both guests and colleagues.

“Her positive attitude, professionalism and dedication make her a true asset, and I’m excited to see her continue to grow and thrive in her hospitality career.

“Leonardo Hotels are delighted to participate in numerous employment programmes throughout the UK and Sorcha is one of many team members who have begun their employment journey in this way. 

“We are proud of our dedicated teams and we wish Sorcha all the best in her new role.”

Sorcha’s commitment to the role is apparent from the lengths she takes to get there, a bus commute of over 90 minutes each way from her home in Bampton, near Witney.

Oxfordshire County Council is aiming to make a difference to reduce this time consuming and often inconvenient journey by negotiating funding for taxi fares through central government’s Access to Work scheme.

Once this is in place Sorcha’s shifts will no longer be restricted to daytime bus timetable hours. She’ll be able to do evening work in the restaurant in the secure knowledge that regardless how late she finishes, a taxi will be available to get her home safely.

Oxfordshire County Council’s supported internships are education programmes for young people aged 16 - 25 with an education, health and care plan (EHCP), allowing work and study at the same time.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Sorcha is a shining example of the positive difference our supported internship programme can make to young people on an education, health and care plan.

“Sorcha is ambitious and determined, she just needed a helping hand to overcome some challenges, and now she’s secured employment in the sector of her choice. The team at the Leonardo Royal Hotel in Oxford saw her potential and it makes me very proud that we’ve played a part in what I’m sure will be a successful career for her in the hospitality sector. Well done Sorcha.”

Rachel Thorne, Supported Internship Course Tutor at Abingdon and Witney College, said: The Supported internship team are all incredibly proud of Sorcha. She has approached her course with hard work, dedication and a positive attitude which have really paid off. She has grown in confidence and skills during her time with us and we couldn't be happier to see her move on into her new role.”

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In its written contribution, the council says that despite rapidly rising expenditure, reports from the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee show that outcomes are not improving nationally for children and young people with SEND, and neither have families’ day to day experiences of the system.

The council explained that it believes the current SEND system is unsustainable and requires immediate and comprehensive reforms to meet the growing number of children and young people requiring support.

Its evidence to the committee focuses on actions required to stabilise the system, such as increased funding, which would then allow more time for necessary medium to long-term reforms to be implemented.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “The situation is unsustainable. The SEND high needs block deficit is expected to hit £100million in Oxfordshire by March 2026, with many other councils across the country in similar situations. The whole system is in urgent need of extensive reform.

“It’s a national problem – a national crisis – not a local one, but of course it impacts many families and children here in Oxfordshire.

“We’re calling for clarity on funding and long-term sustainable reforms to ensure we have a system fit for purpose that will meet the needs of every SEND child and young person wherever they live, and whatever their individual needs.

“Here in Oxfordshire, we are absolutely committed to supporting our children and young people with SEND and have committed significant investment in next year’s budget. However, we are acutely aware this will still not be enough and national government intervention is urgently needed.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s budget for the 2025/26 financial year, approved at its full council meeting on Tuesday 11 February includes £1.141m of extra funding for SEND services and education, health and care plans (EHCP).

A total of £641,000 of this would be additional money to complete EHCPs quicker and £500,000 to facilitate the provision of expertise from special schools focused on children with EHCPs who are in mainstream schools.

An EHCP is put in to support a young person with SEND if their educational setting doesn’t have the resources and expertise to support them.

In the council’s 2025/26 budget, there is also £2million of new money, partly funded by new government grant funding, to support families to overcome challenges at the earliest opportunity, prevent escalation and effectively intervene with problems.

Alongside this, a total of £400,000 additional funding has been allocated to cover the costs of the increase in number of children with SEND requiring home to school transport.

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The newly trained advisors will be existing teaching assistants, equipped with necessary experience for handling the unique needs of young people with SEND, helping to improve their education and career outcomes.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “We aim to give every child the best start in life, paving the way for their career dreams.

“It makes so much sense to train some of our existing teaching assistants. They already have classroom experience and can start using their learning in training straightaway to deliver immediate benefits to our young people.

“Our experience shows that one to one career advice isn’t always the most effective way of engaging with SEND children, so our new specialist trainers – teaching assistants themselves – will offer a much better alternative including group interviews involving parents, support staff and the young people themselves.

“We hope these group sessions will remove barriers, giving young people confidence to ask questions, consider options, and inspire them to pursue exciting career and further education opportunities.”

Oxfordshire County Council is providing the training in collaboration with the Oxfordshire Careers Hub. Advisors will receive a Level 6 Diploma in career guidance and development from Activate Learning.

The council’s commitment to the training is in response to a shortage of qualified career advisors with experience in the needs of children and young people with SEND, and to reduce the need to hire external specialists.

The scheme is being funded by a grant from the Department for Education (DfE), designed to provide support for young people with additional needs so that they gain more choice and control over their future, providing opportunities to prepare them for adult life and independent living. This includes work experience and placements, and further education.

The career advisors will be based at seven specialist schools, spread across the county and overseen by Oxfordshire County Council.

Hannah Gordon, assistant headteacher at Fitzwaryn School in Wantage, said: “It’s a pleasure to be involved in the development of this careers guidance training, which plays a vital role in equipping staff with knowledge and confidence to support young people in making informed choices about their futures.

“From our perspective, the value of this training lies in its practical, inclusive approach – ensuring that all learners, regardless of need or background, receive meaningful and personalised guidance that empowers them to take their next steps with clarity and purpose.”

Shelley Woodley, a teaching assistant at Fitzwaryn School, who recently started her career advisor training, said: “I am excited and feel it’s a real privilege to be taking part in the careers guidance training. I’m already learning more about careers education than I knew existed, and it’s been both enjoyable and inspiring to network with others in the field.

“This training is not only expanding my own knowledge, but it will also help us create extensive and meaningful opportunities for our pupils as they prepare for adulthood.”

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Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective – part of Oxfordshire County Council’s music service – will be playing a broad range of material including stunning arrangements by Charles Mingus and Chick Corea, plus versions of well-known classics from Earth Wind and Fire and The Beatles.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People: “‘Jazz at the Fleur’ is another opportunity to showcase some of Oxfordshire’s most talented young musicians, inspiring children across the county to consider learning to play an instrument.

“We take enormous pride in our music service, which offers a diverse range of lessons, bands, choirs, orchestras and groups. Music is a way for children to express themselves, develop aspirations and goals and potentially a future career. I’m sure our Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective will enchant its audience at East Hagbourne.”

Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective  is the council’s advanced level big band for young people, and one of four ensembles that makes up the Oxfordshire Youth Big Band programme, which has been running for more than 50 years.

Weekly rehearsals take place during term time, preparing the band for a varied array of performance opportunities throughout the year. These include regular end of term concerts alongside other big bands, as well as collaborations with music theatre students, regional festivals, music for youth events and county gala performances.

The band currently has 18 members aged 15 - 18 and enjoy playing a wide variety of big band styles, including swing classics from a repertoire of band leaders such as Basie, Ellington, Buddy Rich, Ted Heath and Benny Goodman. It also performs contemporary arrangements of popular music and original works by contemporary composers like Fred Sturm, Nikki Iles and Steve Waterman.

Olivia Ward Jacobs, aged 17, from The Cherwell School – who plays alto saxophone – will be performing at ‘Jazz at the Fleur,’ and said: “I’ve loved playing in Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective for the past two years. From Chipping Norton music festivals to our trip to Birmingham Symphony Hall’s jazz lounge, I’ve been inspired to play jazz, shaping me into the musician I am today.”

Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective was invited to perform at this year’s ‘Jazz at the Fleur’ alongside the Ronnie Scott Allstars in recognition of the young musicians’ high levels of motivation and enthusiasm. The Allstars is a British band, representing the Ronnie Scott Club in London.

Further information about Oxfordshire Youth Jazz Collective and Oxfordshire County Council’s music service is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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The service works with children and young people at times of difficulty with the aim of preventing problems escalating to the point where police, social services or other authorities need to become involved.

The county council initiated a peer review – involving the National Youth Agency, representatives from the youth sector, as well as trained young reviewers –  to ensure the service continues to meet the needs and aspirations of the young people it serves and supports. It was originally launched in 2021.

Councillor Sean Gaul, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Young people face many challenges, so it’s vital that they have trust and confidence in the help and support that’s available, otherwise they’ll shun it and risk getting into further difficulties.

“That’s why we regularly review our services to ensure they’re fit for purpose, and why it was important that young people themselves scrutinised this service, giving us independent, constructive feedback on what’s working well and how we can make things even better for them going forward.

“The review’s findings are encouraging; however, I will ensure we will never be complacent, particularly in any initiative designed to help and support at time of greatest need.”

The peer review found that the targeted youth support service has a clear sense of purpose that is widely understood throughout the council and by most of its partners, and valued by young people.

The targeted youth support service team is highly regarded by other practitioners and is delivering some high quality youth work.

It was noted that the service has been purposefully developed through good recruitment, with a clear remit and a flexible approach to need. It was evident there is a person centred, strength based approach to supporting individual young people’s needs and circumstances.

The reviewers observed that quality detached youth work is being delivered in some areas of the county, with youth workers clearly knowing their communities well and engaging with diverse and underrepresented groups.

Some of the young people who contributed to the peer review are quoted in the final report:

Kemi Odeyemi, aged 18, said: “It was encouraging to see the significant effort being put into supporting young people in Oxfordshire.

“It’s clear that the council is deeply committed to making continuous improvements in the youth services available, and there’s a genuine focus on adapting provisions to meet the needs of young people.

“The positive impact of these efforts is evident, particularly in the range of services being offered and the dedication of staff across the sector.”

Ivan Bronsan, aged 18, commented: “It was a pleasure having the chance to see the fantastic work that is taking place across Oxfordshire to support young people. I was particularly impressed with the political support that exists for the youth service and the positive culture that exists within the organisation.

“The youth workers I spoke to knew the areas in which they worked well. I felt as if here were strong relationships with other services across the board.”

Andy Lloyd, National Youth Agency’s Head of Quality and Standards, said: “It was a pleasure to work alongside colleagues in Oxfordshire County Council and deliver the peer review for their targeted youth support service. 

“The council are to be applauded for high level senior leadership support and commitment to their youth service and a skilled and passionate workforce, achieving the very best outcomes for children, young people and families.

“Strong partnership arrangements have been fostered to ensure effective service delivery, which is wide reaching and meeting the needs of diverse groups, including a particularly impressive special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) youth forum.”

The targeted youth support service offers group work and one to one help to any young person aged between 11 and 18 seeking support with social and emotional development.

The team works with communities to address wider issues relating to young people such as antisocial behaviour, lack of local youth provision, and responding to violence in a community.

Support extends to anyone aged up to 25 with an education, health and care plan (EHCP) or who has been part of the council’s children we care for scheme, such as in foster care or adopted.

Further information about the targeted youth support service is available on the Oxme website, along with a copy of the peer review.

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She isn’t complaining. Their teenage foster daughter shares her love of clothes and together they are regulars in many of Oxfordshire’s fashion boutiques.

“Fostering is all about adapting, bonding and the power of relationships, the shopping connection was an unexpected bonus,” says Chris’ wife Tabs.

The west Oxfordshire couple welcomed their foster daughter, through Oxfordshire County Council’s fostering scheme, around a year ago.

She had experienced some short-term fostering placements because of her commitment to stay in school and close to friends, and the challenge of finding the right long-term family setting to meet those geographical needs.

Chris said: “We stepped forward, initially as another short team option, however, we quickly bonded and on much more than female fashion.

“In the end it was an easy decision to turn a few weeks into a long-term commitment, giving our foster daughter the family stability she needed, and on her terms, close to friends and the school she loves. She is now the princess of our family.”

Chris and Tabs have an autistic teenage son who often needs his own space and can become closed off emotionally, however, his confidence has been transformed by the new family member.

Tabs said: “Our foster daughter is a natural in putting others at their ease and our son quickly warmed to her and became much more responsive; it’s heartwarming watching them interact and seeing his confidence grow.”

With so much positive energy generated from the initial fostering experience, Chris and Tabs decided they would take it a step further, around two months ago they agreed to foster a baby.

“It’s added perfectly to the family dynamic, bringing out the caring side in us all,” says Chris.

“Our foster daughter helps us with feeding, putting the baby to bed, holding him. Our son is fascinated, the baby’s made him inquisitive and he wants to ask questions, it’s another way to build his self-esteem as he observes and interacts with our newest and youngest family member.”

Chris likens the relationships associated with fostering to a “spider’s web.”

“It’s a brilliant support network, from Oxfordshire County Council’s social workers who always respond promptly to our questions and offer training and guidance, to the other fostering families they’ve connected us with, who we meet for coffee and chats to learn from their experiences and to share ours.

“Most importantly, this amazing spider’s web is about giving the foster children stability, opportunities to be themselves, to grow, develop and explore the interests that are important to them.

“It doesn’t matter that fashion’s not my thing, because our foster daughter has found a soul mate in my wife and just watching them share that love of clothes is special.

“Seeing the joy it brings to our foster daughter makes me feel incredibly proud of our family and how much of a right decision it was to become foster carers.

“I never knew two people could talk for so long or in so much detail about artificial eyelashes, but there we go!”

Jean Kelly, Oxfordshire County Council’s Deputy Director of Children’s Social Care, said: “Our service is not for profit, and we are committed to keeping children and young people near to their birth families, friends and schools. Our aim is for children to have more stability by placing them locally with our own foster carers.

“We cannot do that unless we can recruit more caring people like Chris and Tabs."

Oxfordshire County Council’s foster carers receive:

• Generous fees, paid in addition to the child’s allowance, based on experience and skills.
• Dedicated social worker support.
• Access to professionals involved with the child/children, linked with support groups and specialised training.

During Foster Care Fortnight, Oxfordshire County Council’s foster care team will be hosting in-person events to promote fostering.

The events don’t need to be pre-booked; people can arrive at a time of their choosing to find out more about what is involved in becoming a foster carer, the different types of fostering, help and training on offer, and financial support available. 

The events will take place in:

Banbury: Wednesday 14 May 2025, from 11am to 2pm, at Banbury Library, Marlborough Road, Banbury OX16 5DB

Didcot: Monday 19 May 2025, from 1pm to 4pm, at Didcot Library, 197 Broadway, Didcot OX11 8RU

Bicester: Thursday 22 May 2025, from 2pm to 5pm, at Bicester Library, Wesley Lane, Franklins House, Bicester OX26 6JU

Further information about becoming a foster carer is also available by visiting oxfordshire.gov.uk/fostering, emailing fostering@oxfordshire.gov.uk

or phoning 0800 783572.

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In total 94.04 per cent of children in Oxfordshire have received a first preference offer and over 99 per cent have been offered a school listed as a preference. This year’s national figures will be published later in the year.

Lisa Lyons, Director of Children Services for Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We aim to give all children the best start in life and educational and learning opportunities are fundamental to this. I’m therefore delighted that we have been able to offer the majority of applicants their first choice of school.”

Some families are not offered their first preference where applications for particular schools exceed available spaces.

Anyone who has yet to apply for a reception place for their child in school should email the council on admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk or telephone 01865 519800 (option 2) as soon as possible.

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Never one to miss an opportunity, when Warwick Bourton’s internship supervisors visited him for a workplace progress report, they got more than they bargained for; the cheeky teenager selling them a couple of office chairs.

Warwick is gaining valuable work experience with Bicester-based family company, Oxford Office Furniture.

Arranged through Oxfordshire County Council, the supported internship scheme works with people who have additional needs, understanding their individual skills and supporting them to find and maintain a job that is right for them.

For Warwick, aged 19, the furniture company seems to be the perfect placement and everyone is delighted with his progress.

Kay Thomas, from Oxford Office Furniture, said: “I couldn’t believe it, there I was giving one of the county council’s employment team an update on how Warwick’s settling in, then out of the corner of my eye I notice him shaking the hand of their colleague. Next thing, he’s helping them load two chairs into the back of their car!

“It made me laugh and also very proud. We were confident this placement would work, however, seeing him using his initiative like that showed what a great decision we made in supporting the council’s internship scheme.

“Warwick might be working in office furniture, but as he’s finding out every day, it’s so much more than a desk job.”

The experience is not only honing Warwick’s natural sales skills, he’s also learning about the environment and bolstering his knowledge of digital communications and marketing.

Warwick, said: “All the office furniture is recycled, nothing goes to landfill, that’s something I really like. I can tell you that chairs and desks are returned from clients, cleaned, safety checked, and then reused good as new.

“We’re not just talking a few either, there are over 1,000 chairs waiting to be reused in one of the main warehouses, and it’s me who sells them to the next customers too.

“I’m promoting equipment on social media, selling it on eBay, delivering and collecting. I’m often the passenger in Kay’s delivery truck, just in Oxfordshire at the moment, but there are customers right across the UK, so hopefully I’ll get to venture further in the future.

“I love the travelling as there’s loads of time to chat with the driver, see new places, and it’s great meeting all the people we deliver to. I got 100 per cent pass on my manual handling course, so bagging qualifications as well.

“I’ve always enjoyed social media, however, it wasn’t until I came to Oxford Office Furniture that I discovered how it’s used by companies to promote their products; the whole experience is fun and exciting.”

Warwick is a former pupil of The Bicester School and since 2022 has been at Activate College in Banbury studying Level 3 mechanics and IT, alongside his supported internship at Oxford Office Furniture.

Lisa Lyons, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Children Services, said: “Our Oxfordshire supported internship scheme offers huge benefits for young people and adults with additional needs, helping them gain meaningful employment opportunities.

“We are particularly pleased with Warwick’s progress. He has already benefited from support through our children and young people’s team. Now we’re able to continue with him on his journey, watching him thrive through this exciting work placement.

“By securing and retaining a job, individuals like Warwick gain a real sense of achievement, being part of a workforce and living as independently as possible.”

Oxfordshire Employment plays an important part in the county council’s Oxfordshire Way vision to support people to live well and independently, within their own communities for as long as possible.

It is also part of the council’s commitment to work with local businesses and partners for environmental, economic and social benefit. The programme adds significant social value while helping to diversify the local job market.

The council has been providing supported employment for almost 80 years.

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The sixth former, aged 18, from Fitzwaryn School, Wantage, has a heightened sense of anxiety, meaning doing things independently like travelling on public transport is a real challenge.

Luckily, help was available for Kiera through Oxfordshire County Council’s independent travel training.

The scheme is designed to help young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) use public transport. A travel trainer helps them gain knowledge, experience in completing their planned route, and develop road safety skills. 

It has boosted Kiera’s self-esteem for her daily journey to such an extent that she offered to be a guide for Councillor John Howson – Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services – so he could experience the training first-hand.

Kiera pointed out aspects she had gone through such as stranger awareness, journey planning, using a bus pass or money, understanding the Green Cross Code, and other practical safety advice including ‘what if scenarios.’

“Before the training, my confidence in travelling on public transport was so low that I couldn’t do it,” explained Kiera.

“I was getting to school by taxi, a journey I found noisy and lacking the sense of independence I get from being on a bus, which has better views out of the windows too.

“Look at me now, my confidence has changed a lot since I began the travel training. Now I’m independent, which feels good and helps me in things like talking to the bus driver, and I’m even showing Cllr Howson how I cope on my travel from school.

“My independent travel trainer has been amazing. Nothing has been a problem and nothing is ever an issue, I can’t praise the trainer enough and will never forget how their support and kindness has changed my life.”

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “I’m a regular bus user, and a champion of public transport, so I couldn’t resist the invitation to join Kiera on her journey from school.

“Kiera pointed out to me that it’s not always the same driver or passengers on board each day. This can be daunting in itself, particularly when Kiera and other young people on our independent travel training programme are often more comfortable and confident in familiar surroundings.

“However, the scheme is clearly working for Kiera. She was leading and acting as my guide because it is her route. Kiera knows when to press the bell to alight, making good use of the digital information screens to identify the correct bus stop.

“Indeed, I’d like to thank the bus companies and their drivers who support our independent travel training. They make our young people and their travel trainers welcome and look out for them throughout their journeys.

“We are rightly proud of our county’s bus services and it’s brilliant that we are encouraging young people to use public transport through initiatives like this, giving them independence, boosting their confidence and their freedom to explore and learn.”

Further information about the independent travel training scheme is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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Teams from eight schools took part in Oxfordshire County Council’s Consumer Challenge Quiz on 4 March at Unipart House, which teaches life skills and consumer knowledge through a fun, visual and hands on contest.

Each school was represented by a four member team, accompanied by a volunteer from Oxfordshire County Council. This year, Orion Academy emerged as the victorious school.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Families, said: “It’s very important that young people learn early about the challenges that they face from the risks as consumers, and how to deal with them. Trading standards in Oxfordshire has a long history; this particular event has been going for 30 years, and that shows the worth of it – schools are still turning up with their teams, and their supporters, to encourage them in what is a time of fierce competition. Both groups take away many lessons learnt in a new and exciting location.”

Schools that took part includes Bardwell School (Bicester), Bishopswood School (Sonning Common), Fitzwaryn School (Wantage), The Iffley Academy (Oxford), Kingfisher School (Abingdon), Mabel Prichard School (Oxford), John Watson School (Wheatley), Orion Academy (Oxford) and Springfield School (Witney).

Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Safety, said: “This popular event is a great opportunity for young people to learn skills – from knowing what their rights are when they are buying products, to understanding the risks of products such as vapes and how to stay safe in the home – in a fun way, while working as a team.

“Congratulations to the winners, and all the schools who took part!”

A mascot competition for fellow students who are not members of their team is also included, which was won this year by Mabel Prichard School.

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The LAP includes the county council, NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB), Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxfordshire Parent Carer Forum (OxPCF) and professional subject matter leads.

It has been working together on delivering a priority action plan and programme of improvement following an Ofsted and Care Quality Commission inspection of services in July 2023¹.

The committee noted progress made by the LAP in addressing the issues raised from the inspection including the establishment of the SEND youth forum (July 2024) to integrate the voices of young people into future service delivery; improvements in the quality and timeliness of education, care and health plans and needs assessments; improved guidance and support for schools on alternative education provision; and reduced median waiting times for assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions, with successful webinars and workshops being delivered in partnership to over 2,000 people on living well with neurodivergence.

The committee also recognised the continued challenges, both national and countywide, in delivering SEND service improvements. 

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for SEND Improvement, said: “We have been working hard as a partnership to build and deliver real and lasting impacts for families. We have always said this will take time and not all families will feel or recognise that improvements are being made yet. We still have a long way to go.

“But progress is being made. We have the foundations in place and are building on them. We care deeply about improving the lives of children and young people and supporting them, along with their families, to thrive. We are determined to continue to deliver the changes needed so we can provide families with a better quality of service at the time they need it most.

“This will involve us continuing to work closely as a partnership to review, reset and rebuild services and listening to what matters most to children, young people with SEND and their families.”

There is a commitment to listening to the voice of children, young people and parent carers at the heart of the improvement programme and using that feedback to help shape future services.

In June 2024, a SEND youth forum was established, with a representative invited to attend meetings of and provide feedback to the SEND Strategic Improvement and Assurance Board – a partnership board established to drive the action required to deliver better services for SEND children, young people and their families. 

The SEND youth forum provides a safe space for young people to share their thoughts and lived experiences and to work together to change the system. To date the forum has produced an animated video outlining the role of the forum and how young people can get involved; created a forum quality mark used as a seal of approval to kite mark services across the county, an example being the council’s youth offending service, which has been awarded the SEND quality mark in recognition of its efforts to steer young people away from crime; and has provided vital feedback into the development of the young people’s section of the online Local Offer of SEND services.

In November, two young people were also appointed as co-opted members² of the council’s Education and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee with the first meeting being 28 February.

There are also a number of established opportunities for parents, carers and young people to have their say and input into service change and delivery and to access up to date information. These include termly Oxfordshire SEND Conversations, an annual SEND Together event with practitioners, e-newsletters for information and updates supported by a range of online service and progress information.

The scrutiny committee heard progress updates across three main improvement programme themes across LAP services.

Some of these highlights include:

• A collaborative alternative education provision (AEP) board has been established and an internal review of AEP has taken place with an external one commissioned. Key findings will shape a targeted action plan for enhancing provision. Guidance has been provided to help schools establish and sustain their own alternative education pathways and, together with OxPCF, a dedicated parent/carer guide is being developed. 
• The quality of educational health and care plans (EHCP) is improving: 44 per cent rated good or outstanding in November 2024³, compared with 21 per cent in July 2023.
• The backlog on completing annual reviews of the needs, provision and outcomes in an EHCP has reduced dramatically, from over 200 last September to less than 50 in January 2025.
• For pupils moving into statutory school age, or year 6/7 transfer, every one of them had their final EHCPs issued by the deadline of 15 February 2024. SEND students moving into a post 16 setting, 94 per cent had final EHCPs finalised by the deadline of 31 March 2024.
• At key stage 5 in 2024, the average points score per A Level entry for pupils with an EHCP has seen a notable increase from 25.18 in 2023 to 34.57 in 2024. This is above the national average and places Oxfordshire in the second quartile nationally (previously in bottom quartile).
• A TellMe app for young people to support their mental health and wellbeing has been commissioned and the community wisdom project was launched in February 2025. This project is led by community paediatrics, children’s community services and OxPCF where ten families waiting for support from community paediatrics have been invited to meet with professionals and other families to access early universal support activities – communications, play, interaction, sensory, feeding – while they might be waiting for more specialist support or diagnosis.
• The WellComm pilot has been launched in January 2025 in 46 primary schools, which is a programme used to identify children who may be experiencing barriers to speech and language development at an early stage. Children in these settings waiting for speech language therapy support will benefit from access to the programme and all children will benefit from upskilling of teaching in this area.
• The median time that people are waiting for an assessment for neurodevelopmental conditions has reduced since April 2023. Over 2,000 people have accessed living well with neurodivergence workshops and webinars delivered by Autism Oxford in collaboration with the child and adolescent mental health services.

The full list of progress updates can be accessed by reading the scrutiny papers online.

The LAP runs termly SEND Oxfordshire Conversations where progress updates are shared and there is an opportunity for parents and carers to ask questions and provide feedback. The next online sessions are 18 March (7.30pm - 9pm) and 25 March (12 noon -1.30pm) and people can book now on Let’s talk Oxfordshire to join.

There is also an annual SEND Together event for parents, carers and SEND coordinators to connect and take part in workshops, information sessions, advice clinics and a question and answer panel discussion. Parents can visit OxPCF’s website to book for the next event taking place on 13 March (9am - 3pm) at the King’s Centre, Oxford. 

Parents and carers can sign up to receive a SEND e-newsletter to get the latest news from us. Families can read previous updates online.

Parents and carers can also read OxPCF’s SEND Connect newsletters, which include news and information from across the local area partnership. And SEND coordinators can sign-up to receive a dedicated e-newsletter. 

SEND partnership improvement information can be found on the council’s website where people can also access the highlights of activity discussed and agreed at the Strategic Improvement and Assurance Board.

Online support for parents and carers of children with SEND can be found on the county council’s local offer webpages.

Notes

• ¹In July 2023, Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission undertook a local area partnership inspection of SEND services.
• ²Co-opted members are non-councillor members of certain committees, appointed where specialist input is required or where an outside view of the council can be useful in guiding councillors’ deliberations.
• ³ Invision360 is a digital tool that is used to additional quality audit EHCPs against recognised standards.

Oxfordshire County Council’s budget for the 2025/26 financial year, approved at Council on Tuesday 11 February, includes £1.141m of extra funding for SEND services and EHCPs.

A total of £641,000 of this will be additional money to complete EHCPs quicker, and £500,000 to facilitate the provision of expertise from special schools focused on children with EHCPs who are in mainstream schools.

In the council’s 2025/26 budget, there is also an additional £2 million, partly funded by new government grant funding, to support families to overcome challenges at the earliest opportunity, prevent escalation and effectively intervene with problems.

Alongside this, a total of £400,000 additional funding has been allocated to cover the costs of the increase in number of children with SEND requiring home to school transport.

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New Family Social is a UK charity led by LGBTQ+ adopters and foster carers, which over the last ten years has led this celebration week as part of a campaign to encourage more LGBTQ+ people to consider both options into parenting.

The campaign, supported by Adopt Thames Valley – the regional adoption agency hosted by Oxfordshire County Council – shares the experiences of adopters, highlighting the important role they play in providing loving and stable environments for young people in need of a home.

Last year, one in five adoptions were to same sex couples – like Arjay and Tom. Adopt Thames Valley is a welcoming and inclusive adoption agency and encourages more couples and single people to come forward and consider adoption.

Arjay and Tom adopted three siblings around a year ago. The couple had first volunteered at a regional summer camp to gain childcare experience, and initially met the toddlers at an Adopt Thames Valley play day.

The new dads are thrilled with their family life.

Arjay said: “Adoption has allowed us to create our family and fulfil our dream of having children. The joy of having them around is difficult to put into words. We’ve met other adopters, parents at school gates and on play dates, and we really feel part of a community.

“Watching our children explore the world brings so much happiness and pride; they make everyone smile, which can spark conversations with people when we’re out and about.”

Tom added: “We chose adoption because we wanted to start a family. We looked into different options and found out there are so many children in the adoption system who are waiting for their forever homes. That’s when we decided adoption was the right choice for us.

“Meeting LGBT families at the New Family Social camp where we volunteered really inspired us and made us feel more confident about the idea of adoption. It’s really a dream come true to have completed our family.”

Arjay concluded: “Our children had a bit of a bumpy start to life, but now they’re really thriving. They’re so full of energy, love, and laughter. It’s amazing to see them develop their own personalities and they bring so much joy into our lives.

“Our days are really busy, with three toddlers to take care of. We have to run to nursery, have playdates, clean up messy meals, and there are nappy changes galore. The soundtrack to our lives is a bit different now, thanks to Mr Tumble and nursery rhymes. But we wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “People from a whole range of backgrounds and communities, including LGBTQ+, can and do adopt. Our county’s most vulnerable children need more people like Arjay and Tom to come forward.

“You’ll help a child who might have had a difficult and chaotic start to their life, playing your part as they develop and grow in confidence. It’ll be a shared and uplifting experience, changing their life and yours for the better.”

Residents from all backgrounds who want to find out more about becoming an adopter can call 0800 731 0171 for an initial, no obligation conversation or visit Adopt Thames Valley.

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In total 87.4 per cent of pupils have received a first preference offer in Oxfordshire and 96.5 per cent were offered a preferred school. This year’s national figures will be published later in the year.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “We aim to give all children the best start in life and educational and learning opportunities are fundamental to this.

“It’s a big step moving from primary to secondary school, often from a small school to a very much larger setting. So, I’m delighted that we have been able to offer the vast majority of applicants their first choice of school.”

Some families are not offered their first preference where applications for particular schools exceed available spaces.

Families wishing to challenge the outcome of their application can appeal by 31 March 2025.

Children's names can also be added to waiting lists in case places become available at schools they are interested in between now and September.  Waiting lists start on 23 May.

Anyone who has yet to apply for a secondary school place for their child for September 2025 should email the council on admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk or by phoning 01865 519800 (option 2).

The council’s cabinet approved over £2 million per year to fund a further 20 enhanced pathways and continue funding the 20 already in place, spreading support as widely as possible across the county.

The initiative, developed within mainstream schools, provides teachers with the ability to deliver small group support for children with SEND. They can offer bespoke and specialised curriculums that meet the social, emotional, sensory and academic needs of each young person.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Improvement, said: “More children with special educational needs and disabilities will now be able to access the right support at the right time, thanks to this commitment.

“We will be able to expand our dedicated provision and support, currently benefiting 260 children and young people in mainstream schools. We’re already seeing some really positive results among those pupils already on an enhanced learning pathway.”

The locations of the additional schools providing enhanced learning pathways will be decided in the coming weeks.

The initiative was first introduced in the 2021-22 academic year at around £500,000 per annum. Oxfordshire County Council increased this amount to £1 million a year last September when an additional eight pathways were created. Today’s announcement increases that annual funding to £2 million.

Jules Francis-Sinclair, Chair of Oxfordshire Parent Carers Forum (OxPCF), said: "We welcome this investment in enhanced learning pathways, as parent carers consistently tell us how difficult it can be to find the right support for their children in mainstream schools.

“Many families find that small group and tailored provision makes a huge difference to their child’s ability to thrive. It is encouraging to see this initiative expanding, and we hope to see it embedded in more schools across Oxfordshire so that as many children as possible can benefit.”

Any parent wanting more information about available support should talk to their children’s school about its approach to inclusion.

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As in previous years, parents will be invited to list four schools as preferences. Applications should be submitted online by 15 January 2025.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, explains: “Please use the opportunity to name four schools. This will not make it less likely that your first preference will be offered. However, it does reduce the risk of all preferences being unsuccessful – if four schools are named – and your child being allocated a place at a school not shown on their list.

“It is important to apply on time because any applications that miss the deadline won’t be processed until later in the year and are far less likely to secure places at preferred schools than applications received by 15 January 2025.”     

Parents and carers are also being encouraged to think about how their child will travel to school when deciding which schools they would like to list as a preference.

They will then be contacted with the result to their application on National Offer Day, 16 April 2025.

For further information, contact Oxfordshire County Council’s admissions team by emailing admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk or phoning 0345 241 2487.

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The campaign, supported by Adopt Thames Valley – the regional adoption agency hosted by Oxfordshire County Council – shares the experiences of adopted adults and adopters and highlights the importance of support from social workers, wider family members and other adopters.

Rachel features in the campaign video aboard a train (see photo), recalling the twists and turns on her journey to adopt two year old Winnie.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, explains: “The train in the campaign video symbolises movement, the journey that anyone adopting or being adopted goes through.

“There is the slow start when everyone feels nervous and uncertain, moving to maximum speed when the bond and trust of the adopted family has been established. Finally the destination, when the young person reaches adulthood and is ready to step outside and live independently.”

After initially struggling with fertility, Rachel and her husband decided not to opt for IVF (in vitro fertilisation) but to instead embark on adoption. Rachel’s mum was a social worker, so adoption was always on their radar, and felt like the perfect next step to becoming parents.

Rachel and her husband received support from Oxfordshire County Council’s social workers throughout their journey to adopt Winnie.

Maintaining connections with a birth family and their relatives is an important part of modern adoption, and Winnie has the opportunity to meet regularly with one of her grandparents.

Rachel said: “For me, it’s really important that Winnie has a sense of herself and her identity – that she understands that not only do all families look different, but she has more than one family, and that’s OK. We just know we were always meant to be together.”

The campaign highlights that just like all families, adoptive families come in all shapes and sizes and go through ups, downs and detours. Many different people will be part of someone’s lifelong adoption, including birth families, foster carers, social workers, friends old and new, and family members. Some people are present throughout, others for a smaller part – but all of them form part of the adoption journey, symbolled by the campaign’s train video.

Councillor John Howson said: “While welcoming all to apply, we would particularly like to hear from potential adoptive parents who can consider adopting older children, sibling groups and those with complex health needs or a disability.

“We would also love to hear from more potential parents from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, as these children traditionally wait longer to be matched with a new adoptive family.”

Residents who want to find out more about becoming an adopter can call 0800 731 0171 for an initial, no obligation conversation or visit Adopt Thames Valley – the regional adoption agency hosted by Oxfordshire County Council.

Video links

Rachel, discussing her journey of becoming an adopter with Oxfordshire County Council’s social worker, Becky.

The full campaign video, featuring Rachel and other adoption families from across the country.

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Organised jointly by Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire Parent Carers Forum (OxPCF), the online event will take place on Thursday 17 October, between 11am - 1pm.

The council makes arrangements for approximately 1,700 children and young people, aged four to 19, to be transported to and from school each day using minibus and taxi vehicles.

Councillor Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for SEND Improvement, said: “We’re keen to hear the thoughts and experiences of parents and carers, so we can find ways to do things better.

“While it’s an important opportunity for views to be heard, issues raised will not be resolved on the day. However, I give my commitment that we will carefully consider everyone’s feedback.”

The event will focus on three principal areas:

• What’s working well and what needs improving.
• Enhancing communication between parents, Oxfordshire County Council and taxi companies.
• Looking at the challenges that exist with current travel arrangements, and how things can be done better.

Parents and carers of children with  SEND should register their interest in attending in advance.

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 They include a ‘joystick’, which can be used to perform and compose music and is particularly good for pupils in wheelchairs or those with limited motion.

There will be instruments that light up when played, and balls that trigger music as they bounce.  The very latest music technology, as well as acoustic instruments from around the world, will be made available for SEND children to explore and enjoy over the academic year, supported by Oxfordshire County Council’s music service.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “These adaptive instruments and the latest music technology will enhance our ability to unlock the potential of children who may not have had an opportunity to express themselves through music before.

“We believe every young person should have a chance to access musical learning and we’re excited to be able to expand our programme, responding to requests from the young people themselves, their families and education professionals who work with them.”

The funding has been made possible through investment from Arts Council England and will be delivered by Oxfordshire County Council. The full range of instruments will be arriving over the next couple of months.

Lisa Lyons, Director of Children Services for Oxfordshire County Council, said: “All children and young people should be able to enjoy enriching and exciting musical experiences, and we look forward to changing the landscape and bringing these instruments to schools and community settings.

“Some children with limited verbal communication skills use music to help them make friends and express their emotions.

“Instruments that require limited amounts of verbal explanation and eye contact – such as the Rav Drum (image below), which makes a therapeutic sound – work wonders in calming children who experience excessive anxiety.

“Shruti boxes are from India and create a long therapeutic droning sound. They’re fabulous for young people with limited physical ability and can be played with two fingers. They’re also very tactile and can be used by pupils who like sensory stimulation or enjoy the feel of the air across their face.”

Millie’s story

Visually impaired Millie Shaw, from Witney, has thrived through opportunities provided by Oxfordshire County Council’s music service.

Expressing herself through singing, the 17 year old recently performed with the Oxfordshire County Youth Choir at the Music for Youth’s National Festival in Birmingham. 

“Being in the choir, which she joined in January, has given my Millie a sense that she’s good at something,” explains her mum, Victoria Beaumont.  

“There were two rehearsals where Millie was made anxious by the noise, however the teachers reassured and calmed her, and quickly she found her confidence.”

Recalling her preparations for the concert, Millie said: “There were lot of steps, twists and turns to learn in readiness to perform on an unfamiliar stage in Birmingham Town Hall.

“My teacher was amazing, helping me count and learn the number of steps, and arranging for me to walk on stage in advance so I could get a feel of it.

“When you’ve got sight loss, this thoughtful extra support makes such a difference.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s qualified music teachers have also helped Millie with her GCSE music studies at the Marlborough School, including one to one tuition in a quiet classroom environment. Their calm, patient and inclusive attitude helped Millie reach the heights of singing a grade seven level duet of Mozart’s Don Giovanni.

Mum, Victoria said: “Millie’s GCSE coursework results were fantastic, scoring 30/30 for both her solo and ensemble performance, achieving a hundred percent of the marks.”

Millie has also enjoyed folk music taster sessions. The team at the council’s music service emailed lyrics to her to learn and remember in advance, so she wasn’t disadvantaged alongside other children who read them off a big screen.

An opportunity to take part in studio recording sessions has also boosted Millie’s confidence.

Victoria said: “People often believe that me proudly telling them Millie can sing is just a ‘she’s disabled so isn’t it lovely she enjoys singing badly’ type of thing.

“It’s very much not that. Having recordings to play back to them helps me dispel that idea. They’re also brilliant for Millie to listen to, proving to her just how good she is.

“Singing has been the making of Millie, and I can’t thank enough the brilliant and professional team in Oxfordshire County Council’s music service.”

Ben’s story

Visually impaired Ben Etherton, from Wheatley, is a multi-talented peripatetic music teacher employed by Oxfordshire County Council’s music service.

Ben, 31, specialises in instruments such as the cello and double bass, but also plays piano and works as a singing tutor.

He visits schools throughout Oxfordshire, as well as teaching at the council’s Centre for Music in Barton, and supports the cello section of the County Youth Orchestra.

Diagnosed with the degenerative eye condition retinitis pigmentosa at the age of 17, Ben has learnt to adjust and adapt to ensure he can actively continue his love for music.

Ben explains: “I sometimes play more ‘by ear’ than sight, memorising melodies and musical ideas. I can still see to read music, but it has to be close up and central, as I’ve lost much of my peripheral vision.

“Because some of my remaining sight will gradually deteriorate, it makes sense to develop this learning instinct now, so I’m able to continue teaching and playing going forward.”

When Ben is teaching, he uses two music stands, one for his student and a second for himself. This compensates for his lack of peripheral vision, which prevents him being able to read what is written on his student’s sheet if he’s standing to the side of them.

Ben chuckles when he describes the challenge of meeting his students: “It’s often easier teaching than finding a pupil at the start of class. I struggle to see in low light, so sometimes they’ll surprise me because I don’t notice them when I come to get them from their classroom. If they walk up from the side, I might not realise they’re there until they say my name or politely tap my arm.”

Many of Oxfordshire County Council’s music service’s pupils have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Music is a way for them to express themselves and overcome their challenges. When they realise Ben has had to adapt because of sight loss, it helps build mutual respect and understanding.

Ben graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2016, and taught autistic children at Oxford’s Cherwell School before joining the council’s music service last year, 2023.

Ben said: “I’ve always had a passion for music and I feel very privileged to teach it professionally.

“The exploration of music happens through our imagination; the way we interpret it to convey meaning and emotion is personal to us. So, although being visually impaired poses its challenges, it hasn’t stopped me singing, playing, teaching and performing.

“Oxfordshire’s music students are a pleasure to teach. It is rewarding to be part of their musical development and to witness their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn and master the craft.

“Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are fantastic to work with. Knowing that they are enjoying their music and that the experience is boosting their confidence and self-belief is wonderful and a privilege to be a part of.”

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The sessions – organised by Oxfordshire County Council and charity partners – are designed to help pupils share experiences and emotions based on the often unique circumstances that come with having parents in the military.

Regular postings of mum or dad can mean frequently moving home, changing school and having to make new friends in strange surroundings. Periods of parental separation due to operational deployment and exercises can add to the challenges these children face.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “These workshops are designed to encourage service personnel children to share their lived experiences, to ensure they are both recognised and celebrated.

“I hope the interactive format will strengthen each child’s sense of identity and help them thrive at school.”

Each workshop will have a slightly different theme, explored through discussion, writing, drawing, movement and mindfulness.

The first event, taking place at RAF Benson’s youth centre (the building provided free of charge by RAF Brize Norton) on Wednesday 2 October – organised by the county council and charity Never Such Innocence – will be an arts day using song writing, poetry and speech writing, and weaving to better understand unique identities.

Around 80 secondary students will be attending from Burford School, Icknield School, UTC Oxfordshire, St Birinus School, John Mason School and Fitzharrys School.

The following day, Millenium Amenities Centre in Carterton will host an interactive workshop, run by the county council and tri-service charity Little Troopers. Presented online by TV broadcasters, Katie Thistleton and Frankie Vu, the Little Troopers workshop will explore the topics of ‘wellbeing and mindfulness’ in the context of military life. Children will be taught helpful ways to better understand their emotions and navigate challenge and change at home when it comes to having a parent deployed or having to move home and school.

Louise Fetigan, founder of the charity Little Troopers, said: “It’s fantastic to see Oxfordshire County Council being so proactive when it comes to supporting service children in the area. Our aim as a charity is to ensure that all schools – no matter how many service children they have on roll – recognise the challenges military children face and are well-equipped to provide tailored support to these children whenever they might need it.”

The event will be attended by key stage two service children from Caldecott Primary School in Abingdon, St Kenelm’s CE Primary School near Witney, and St Peter’s CE Primary School in Alvescot, near Bampton.

The final workshop, at Oxford’s Story Museum on Friday, 4 October, will involve 50 service personnel children participating in a lively interactive session aimed at improving their English attainment and motivation skills. Pupils will attend from Benson C of E Primary School, Burford Primary School, St Christopher’s CE Primary  School (Langford), Crowmarsh Gifford CE School, and Stephen Freeman Community Primary School.

The workshops are funded by a grant to Oxfordshire County Council from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust.

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As in previous years parents will be invited to make a first preference along with three other preferences. Applications should be submitted online by 31 October 2024

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “It is important to use the opportunity to name four schools. This will not make it less likely that your first preference will be offered. However, it does reduce the risk of all preferences being unsuccessful – if four schools are named – and your child being allocated a place at a school not shown on their list.

“It is important to apply on time as late applications will only be processed after those received during the admissions application period, which runs until the end of October, and are far less likely to secure places at preferred schools.”

Parents and carers will be contacted with the result of their application on national offer day for Year 7 on 3 March 2025.

For further information, contact Oxfordshire County Council’s admissions team by emailing admissions.schools@oxfordshire.gov.uk or phoning 0345 241 2487.

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The campaign – run by Oxfordshire County Council and its partner, Adopt Thames Valley – is themed around Archie, a lively two year old who needs a loving home somewhere in the county (watch our short video of Archie here).

Archie is described as “a delightful, kind little boy with a curiosity for the world around him. He has an infectious giggle and playful spirit and is looking for his forever family.”

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “You don’t need specialised skills to adopt Archie or to give any other child a caring home. You just need the ability to recognise their potential and provide them with the love and support they need to learn and grow.”

Archie enjoys racing toy cars, constructing impressive towers and having fun splashing about in water. 

He has a special fondness for messy play, anything involving sand, paint and mud brings out the biggest smiles. Archie is also captivated by sensory toys that make different sounds. 

When it comes to food, his favourites include baked beans, ham sandwiches, hula hoops, jacket potatoes, pasta, and of course, cake.  

Having lived with the same foster carer since he was a baby, Archie shares a warm relationship with them. He flourishes in the company of other children and loves animals.

Councillor Howson, added: “Archie is a wonderful little boy, searching for a loving family who can truly appreciate him for who he is, looking beyond his additional needs. While his health and developmental needs means he reaches milestones slower than his peers, he is making great progress. 

“He needs a family that can help him attend essential appointments, such as speech, language and physiotherapy. But most of all, he needs love, support and time. Could you be Archie’s forever family?” 

Oxfordshire County Council welcomes enquiries from both single adopters and couples. Some of the biggest misconceptions around eligibility to become adopters are that single people, older people and those who are LGBTQ+ are not allowed to adopt. This is not the case.

The council would like to hear from potential adoptive parents who have Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic heritage as children from these backgrounds traditionally wait longer to be matched with an adoptive family.

Having experience of caring for children, whether in your professional or personal life is a bonus when coming forward to adopt.

If you believe Archie, or another child, could become part of your family, please call 0800 731 0171 for an initial, no-obligation conversation. Details are also available on the Adopt Archie webpage.

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He said: “GCSE results day is a big occasion, where routes to future career plans, apprenticeships or continuing in education will become clearer, or for some students it will be a time of reflection and adjustment. I would like to wish every student success in the next chapter of their lives, whatever that may be.

“For those students who have not received the results they were hoping for, there is excellent support available both through schools, and a number of services that offer help for young people.

“Again, congratulations, and also thank you to the dedicated parents and the staff who have taught, coached and mentored our students during their time in Oxfordshire’s schools and colleges.”

Next steps

For anyone unsure of their next steps after exam results, further help can be found at oxme.info and through the National Careers Service, which has a helpline number: 0800 100 900. For anyone interested in apprenticeships visit oxfordshireapprenticeships.co.uk

Throughout the results period and beyond, information and guidance is available on the Oxme website through the 16+ results day hub, where any young person aged 16-18 and not in education, employment or training can access information, find opportunities and ask for support. 

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He said: “As always, results day is one of mixed emotions, from triumphs over adversity to surprises and in some cases disappointments.

“I know that some students will have decided their next steps. For others, it will be a time of reflection, considering options or adjusting their plans.

“Luckily, there are so many choices available, from continuing in education to beginning work, or learning a career on an apprenticeship or other training programme. Excellent support is available through a number of services that offer help for young people.

“Again, congratulations, and also thank you to dedicated parents and the staff who have taught, coached and mentored our students during their time in Oxfordshire’s schools and colleges.”

Next steps

For anyone unsure of their next steps after exam results, further help can be found at oxme.info and through the National Careers Service, which has a helpline number: 0800 100 900. For anyone interested in apprenticeships visit oxfordshireapprenticeships.co.uk

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The county council has been running the interest free loan scheme since July 2023 to help maintained schools reduce their overall energy usage, which in turn could help cut operational costs.

The school applied to the council for £22,000, out of an £800,000 fund, to finance the  installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, designed to convert sunlight into electrical energy.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “We’ve already carried out 50 energy efficiency audits on our council maintained schools. The latest round of the loan scheme was launched earlier this year, with Whitchurch Primary School being one of the first to make use of the fund.”

The school hopes to install the photovoltaic (PV) technology during the summer break in readiness for the new term in September.

Fiona Broadbent, School Business Manager at Whitchurch Primary, said:

"We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and have already made the switch to LED lighting, so installing solar PV panels was the next step to take to both reduce our carbon footprint and make financial savings for the school."

Dawn Chesters, Headteacher, said: We are looking forward to using this installation as an educational tool; to help the children understand about their carbon footprint and practical steps they can take to create a positive impact. We believe that nurturing an understanding of sustainability from a young age is essential for shaping responsible global citizens."

Other schools are applying for energy efficiency loans and details of their plans will be released in coming months.

Action on Carbon and Energy in Schools (ACES), an energy efficiency support service, funded by Oxfordshire County Council and delivered by Oxford Brookes University and Low Carbon Hub, has been supporting schools with applying for the loan.

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The county council has been running the interest free loan scheme since July 2023 to help maintained schools reduce their overall energy usage, which in turn could help cut operational costs.

The school applied to the council for just under £12,000, out of an £800,000 fund, to finance the classroom installation of photovoltaic (PV) technology, which is designed to convert sunlight into electrical energy.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “We’ve already carried out 50 energy efficiency audits on our council maintained schools. The latest round of the loan scheme was launched earlier this year, with Sonning Common Primary School being the second to make use of the fund, after Nettlebed Community School.”

The school hopes to install the photovoltaic (PV) technology during the summer break in readiness for the new term in September.

Chris Hirst, Headteacher at Sonning Common Primary School, said: “We are thrilled to be able to add to our existing solar PV array. This most recent addition will help us to reduce our carbon footprint even more and will help us on our journey to become net carbon zero. We are proud to be playing our part and hope that other schools will follow to install renewable technologies.”

Other schools are applying for energy efficiency loans and details of their plans will be released in coming months.

Action on Carbon and Energy in Schools (ACES), an energy efficiency support service, funded by Oxfordshire County Council and delivered by Oxford Brookes University and Low Carbon Hub, has been supporting schools with applying for the loan.

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With over 11,000 children in care across the South East, and fewer than 3,000 local authority approved foster carers, there is an urgent need to recruit more people to provide safe, loving, and local homes for children who need them.

Launching today (8 July), Local Authority Fostering South East is a new virtual fostering hub bringing together the expertise of 20 councils – including Oxfordshire County Council – from across the region.

Councillor John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services, said: “Foster carers make an enormous difference to the lives of children, who, for various reasons, need to be cared for outside of their own family. I am full of admiration and thank each and every one of them.

“Our service is not for profit, and we are committed to keeping children and young people near to their birth families, friends and schools. Our aim is for children to have more stability by placing them locally with our own foster carers. We cannot do that unless we can recruit more dedicated carers."

Local Authority Fostering South East will ensure prospective foster carers have access to a centralised platform for their initial enquiries about fostering and will see local authorities work collaboratively to provide the best support, right from the start of a carer’s fostering journey.

The new regional hub will be running marketing campaigns to raise awareness of this unique role and encourage more people to take the next step and become a foster carer with their local council. In doing so they will benefit from comprehensive local training, generous financial assistance, and ongoing support from a non-profit organisation.

Natasha Sampson, South East regional strategic lead, said: “This is a really exciting time for fostering. For the first time in the South East, we are leveraging the collective skills, knowledge, resources and support of 20 local authorities to ensure children and young people have a stable home, in a loving family, which they all deserve.

 “The new hub will make this possible by increasing the number of local foster carers and making sure they are well supported through their recruitment journey and beyond.

“I would urge anyone interested in fostering to get in touch with us to find out more about becoming a foster carer with your local authority.”

Oxfordshire County Council is a proud partner of this national Department for Education (DfE) funded project, with Local Authority Fostering South East being the largest of nine regions taking part in this pilot programme.

Prospective foster carers will also benefit from a new fostering ambassador scheme, enabling them to speak to an existing carer to find out what this life-changing role is really like.

More information on becoming a foster carer can be found on the new regional website LAfosteringSE.org.uk and by following Local Authority Fostering South East on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Anyone interested in fostering can also contact the regional hub directly to speak to a member of the recruitment team by calling 0300 131 2797.

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