• Services and Support
• Pupil attendance
• • Allocation of EWS staff and services
  • Attendance Data
  • Education otherwise than at school
  • EWS Quality Standards
  • Fixed Penalty Notices
  • Guidance for schools
  • Referrals to EWS
  • Statutory action for non-school attendance
  • Strategy and partnership
  • Truancy watch

EWS Quality Standards

CEA@Islington’s Education Welfare Service will seek to:

• ensure that all schools have a named Education Welfare Officer who will be the main contact for the school with the service and will hold the majority of casework for that school;

• arrange appointments with the school for the academic year ahead, to at least the level of the minimum entitlement, keep to them and be punctual, giving the school advance warning if there is a need to change;

• maintain records of pupils discussed with the school and action agreed;

• provide a termly overview of cases referred to the EWS by the school;

• provide additional access to the named EWO and service generally through telephone / fax contact, responding within 1 working day to messages left;

• ensure that on receipt of referral for the EWO to:

• send an appointment letter within 5 working days;

• copy appointment letter to school;

• indicate when the referral is being dealt with by someone other than the school EWO;

• make the appointment within a further 10 working days;

• respond in writing within 20 working days from receipt of the referral, indicating where possible an assessment of the situation as well as what action has been taken;

• work within a framework of focus on parental responsibility, taking early statutory action where appropriate;

• work within an equal opportunities framework;

• provide access to a named manager to respond to complaints on the quality of service provided.

The service to secondary schools will generally meet the same service standards, although in some cases where a ‘school based’ service is provided there will be school specific agreement negotiated.

Quality Assurance System
Our service standards are monitored in a variety of ways to ensure continuous improvement:

• external inspection - District Audit and OFSTED have carried regular reviews and action plans have been developed and implemented in response to their recommendations;

• performance indicators are routinely collected and published;

• an emphasis on supervision for all staff by experienced managers with a focus on quality assurance;

• standards are monitored through performance management and team meetings;

• schools are given information regarding the service, including information and details on our service standards and how to complain

• we consult other LEAs to benchmark our service

• we have a written policy to be used by staff when handling complaints. All comments, complaints and appeals are logged and a response provided within 10 days. All complainants receive a personalised response, telling them what action will be taken. If a complainant is not satisfied, they are referred first to the Education Service Complaints Officer, and then to Islington’s Central Complaints Unit for an independent review.

For more information please contact either:

Sue Greenwell
Senior Education Welfare Service Team Manager
Laycock Street
London N1 1TH
Tel: 020 7527 5621
e-mail: sue.greenwell.cea@islington.gov.uk

or

Ian Norman-Bruce
Head of EW&SWS
CEA@Islington
Lough Road
London
N7 8RH
Tel: 020 7527 5843
E-Mail: ian.norman-bruce.cea@islington.gov.uk