County Hall pledge to win back its stars

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We will win back our four-star rating - that was the pledge from County Hall bosses following a disappointing review of its children's services department. Earlier this year Norfolk County Council was awarded the coveted four stars by the Audit Commission for its overall performance. However, next year one of those stars will be lost because the council's children's services department has fallen from a good grade three to an adequate grade two following an inspection by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). Although the council insists the loss of the four star status will not see it punished financially, they will be striving to regain the star the council looks set to lose when the annual performance assessment is done in February. The council's children's services department has had a difficult year, with a growing number of schools in special measures, including some in Norwich, record numbers of children in care and problems in improving performance at GCSE. But Lisa Christensen, the council's director of children's services, said her department was striving to improve and outlined work which was in place to help tackle the schools which have gone into special measures. She said: We are dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people in Norfolk and have evidence that we are making real progress in a number of areas to transform the way services to families and children are delivered in the county. Our overall grade has dropped from last year despite the fact that we have improved or maintained performance in the majority of our performance indicators and it is clear that there is more work to do. Ofsted's ruling is disappointing but we will not let it detract from our determination to improve the opportunities and outcomes for all of Norfolk's children. That work is already in hand.