Councillors speak out after damning Ofsted report
Councillors today said it was 'disappointing but unsurprising' that Ofsted inspectors found Walsall Council was not providing effective support for schools.
It said the number of educational establishments of concern was not falling.
Labour Councillor Barbara Cassidy, chair of Walsall Council's children and young people's scrutiny and performance panel, said the latest findings were predictable following revelations earlier this year that one in three children were attending under performing schools.
Councillor Cassidy said: "Walsall Council's Tories have neglected the needs of children and young people in many of our borough's schools over the last 14 years – especially those which serve the most deprived wards.
She said there was a 'lost generation' with too many youngsters being allowed to leave school with poor or no exam results.
The borough's children's services chief Councillor Mohammed Arif said the council accepted the report and would use the findings to help accelerate the steps being taken to ensure all pupils were in a good or better school within two years.
See also: Black Country and Staffordshire secondary schools below national average.
