Bromley council rated ‘Outstanding’ in all areas for children’s services

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

Bromley council has been rated ‘outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted for its children’s services. 

The result marks the council as the first London borough to receive the best possible rating from the education watchdog since it renewed its framework in 2022.

The report, published last week, praised the authority for providing exceptionally strong services to children in the borough. Leaders were also said to have a shared and ambitious vision for children’s futures.

The report said: “Their commitment to proportionate caseloads, Bromley’s ‘caseload promise’, means that social workers have time to develop meaningful relationships with children and families and carry out high-quality work of which they are rightly proud. Social workers light up when talking about their children.”

The council is the third local authority in the UK and the first London borough to be rated ‘outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted since the education watchdog updated its framework in 2022 to include more criteria on the experience of care leavers. 

Bromley council is the eighth local authority to receive an ‘outstanding’ rating, including those made under the previous framework.

Conservative Councillor Kate Lymer, deputy leader and portfolio holder for children, education and families, said in a statement: “I want to thank our hardworking staff for their passion, dedication and brilliance and that of our police and health partners too. 

“This work literally impacts on future generations. We want to see all our children reach their full potential in as many ways as possible which is why we remain ambitious for our children and we will remain resolutely focussed on this.”

The inspector also noted in their report that staff appeared to enjoy working at the authority and praised the leaders of the service. 

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, commended the council for its recent result at Prime Minister’s Questions on January 17, after being asked to comment by Sir Bob Neil, Conservative MP for Bromley and Chislehurst.

Mr Sunak said: “Can I join my Right Honourable friend in paying tribute to Bromley council and all the officers involved in providing what is an incredibly important service in their local community and looking after some of the most vulnerable children in our society? They all deserve our thanks and our praise for their brilliant efforts.”

Pictured top: The Bromley Civic Centre, in Stockwell Close (Picture: Joe Coughlan)