Best Start in Life - Delivery plan Stoke-on-Trent

Good Level of Development – Delivery plan Stoke-on-Trent.

Context

The Government has committed in its plan for change, that by 2028, 75% of children are to reach a Good Level of Development (GLD) by the end of reception nationally.

A child is considered to have achieved a GLD if they meet the expected level in:

1. Communication and Language
2. Physical Development
3. Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
4. Literacy
5. Mathematics.

These areas are assessed against Early Learning Goals (ELGs), detailed developmental milestones children are expected to reach by the end of Reception year at school. GLD is a summative assessment on a child’s progress and identifies where additional support is needed.

Meeting GLD is associated with better outcomes in language, literacy, and numeracy, stronger social and emotional skills and smoother transition into formal schooling and overall better attainment later in life.

Currently there are several initiatives and services across the city that contribute to GLD that provide a good foundation to build to meet the national target. Having consulted the playbook and PASCAL tool developed by NESTA to support local authorities to achieve the improvement target set by national government, the plan sets out the City’s agreed actions.

Local Targets

Currently 68% of children meet GLD nationally with 65% in Stoke-on-Trent. Stoke-on-Trent has been set a target of 72.9% by 2028 with 68.2% meeting the goal who are on Free School Meals (FSM) (58% currently, the highest performing council outside London for FSM boys).  This means to meet the target, that roughly 250 additional children achieving a GLD with around 100 who are on Free School Meals.  White British Boys who are in receipt of FSM are the lowest performing cohort.  The lowest achievement in the component scores are; writing, reading and numeracy which reflects national trends (see appendix 1 for further breakdown).  Those schools in the Thrive at Five area have been improving at a slightly higher rate than the rest of the city, although the targets set are nonetheless challenging.

Appendix 1 provides further analysis of the geographical spread of achievement, highlighting the lowest performing wards, component scores. There is significant variation in a GLD achievement between areas hence a universal offer with a targeted approach is required.

Universal and Targeted Plan to improve GLD

This plan specifically focuses on universal and targeted provision to improve GLD.  The delivery of the plan is set of the following approaches which have been shown to be effective to improve GLD;

• Work with parents, carers and communities to shape and develop the plan ie parent and carer groups to bring lived experience to shape Family Hub services
• Create places and spaces in which children can thrive ie play areas, welcoming buildings and civic spaces connected to being family friendly
• Ensure services are responsive and accessible providing for varying needs and are culturally sensitive
• Develop peer networks of support for parents and families.

The plan recognises that a child’s health determines their ability to learn and develop.   Ensuring there is advice and support and protective measures i.e. immunisations and screening to the family will help us achieve the GLD targets.  These actions are taken in parallel of this plan with provision accessible to families i.e. Family Hubs.

Specific focus on being ‘learning ready’ for Reception classes to drive those improvements in GLD is the first key priority of the Improving Education Strategy. The Improving Education Strategy for 2026-2030 outlines our aspirations for young people and our plan to provide the resources they need to excel.

This strategy has been developed collaboratively, engaging educational leaders and young people across the city to ensure everyone’s voice was heard and that there is widespread support for its implementation. Partnership working has ensured that the voice of partners and young people themselves has been built into the plan.

At the end of this strategy period, i.e. by December 2030 our aim in respect of early years and GLD is:

• As a city we will work together so that all early years, primary, secondary and FE settings will be rated highly by Ofsted, representing the best outcomes through the inspection framework in place through the report cards.
• Our early years workforce including childcare providers will be confident about and trained in their role in supporting starting reception. We continue to need to work in partnership around the early development of speech and language. We rely heavily on the legacy of the ‘Stoke Speaks Out’ programme and will build on that legacy to support early years development through our Best Start in Life ambitions.  
• All primary schools will be actively supporting early years development.
• All eligible children will be able to take up their entitlement to funded early years offers in a flexible manner which suits the needs of both the family and the child.
• We will have closed the gap by at least half to the rest of the country with respect to ‘ready for school reception’ percentages and attain the Good Level of Development targets of 75% by 2028.

An example of specific Activity in two wards with the lowest GLD scores of 53% and 59%;

• Family Matters commissioned family coordinators to support more families with young children through referral pathways, by acting as navigators to services for under-fives, including accessing nursery, preschools and other universal services such as immunisation.
• Work intensively with target settings and nurseries to support practice development and establish two communities of practice across the BSiL practitioners from all sectors.
• Best Start in Life Family Hubs, Chell Heath, Shelton and Hanley operating in those wards with the highest challenge and need are focused on GLD with partners and providing appropriate services including language, numeracy and literacy.
• Support the establishment of two parent, babies and toddler groups per ward with a focus on modelling activities that parents can undertake at home. This will involve working with schools to ensure that there is sufficiency of places to support parental access to childcare and other activities.
• Ensure the collaboration between libraries and National Literacy Trust in the two target wards is strong and provides outreach into other settings.
• Communication targeted to families in these localities.
• Specific numbers needed are covered in appendix 1 ***

Child poverty is associated with lower GLD.  Maximising income through family education, job advice and welfare maximisation improves the chances of achieving a child’s GLD.   This is recognised as a key element of wider action outside this plan driven through the wider Family Matters programme i.e. Family learning, welfare advice in Family Hubs and joint working with the Food Partnership and Mission 1 of the Future 100 City prospectus work.

To improve GLD in Stoke-on-Trent requires action to improve the social and economic drivers, as well as equipping parents with the right skills and providing appropriate support when needed.  A three-point plan has been developed as set out below;

1. Provide access to high-quality inclusive early education and childcare, delivered by an appropriately skilled and valued workforce.
2. Ensure high-quality universal services that promote the early health and development of babies and young children are available.
3. Provide the right support for parents so they can help their babies and young children develop, learn and nurture good relationships and attachment.

Our approach to improving GLD will be to enhance our support to those children who do less well than their peers while at the same time ensuring universal services are meeting the needs of families and communities across the city.

Governance of delivery

Primary oversight of delivery will be held by the Early Years Board which reports to the Children, Young People and Family’s Strategic Partnership Board.  They will have specific focus on area 1, nursery and reception year activity, quality and uptake which is covering the Education Strategy. 

The Family Matters programme will focus on areas 2 and 3, ensuring a community-based approach is undertaken, quality universal services in the community are available and support for parents through Family Hubs and other community-based offers.

We have developed a strategic partnership with Thrive at Five to expand learning and extend the reach of the programme which will help shape the programme and ensure we are using best practice.

Monitoring and evaluation

Each of the areas has specific deliverables as set out in the delivery plan below.  Annual GLD rates by ward and demographic group will be tracked to see progress towards the target, with the plan adapted to reflect where further progress is needed.