Telford and Wrekin's school readiness target higher than average as council is told to get more than three quarters of children to a 'good level of development'
Officials are drawing up plans to get many more young children across Telford and Wrekin ready for their first year of school.
A committee was told that the Government has set the borough a target of getting 78 per cent of reception-year children to a 'good level of development' (GLD) in time for Year One.
The children and young people scrutiny committee was told that the Government’s national target is 75 per cent, but Telford & Wrekin Council has been challenged to get its figure up even higher and to hit its target by 2028. Plans have to be submitted by the summer.
Councillors on Thursday (February 5) were told that the 2025 figure is 67 per cent of children reaching a GLD, which dropped from 69 per cent in 2024.
To reach the targets means improving by 11 per cent, the committee was told.
Officials say the performance in Telford and Wrekin is ‘broadly in line’ with national figures.
Officials told councillors that a child is considered to have achieved a GLD if they meet the expected standard in communication and language, physical development, and personal, social and emotional development as well as the specific areas of literacy and mathematics.
Teachers assess whether a child has reached a GLD at the end of the reception year.
Judgements are used to provide a picture of a child’s early learning and readiness for Year One, helping teachers and schools identify strengths, gaps, and priorities for support.
The council holds direct responsibility for a majority of the borough’s primary schools and works alongside academies in partnership forums.
Officials told the committee that the local authority must submit a plan which will focus on developing children up to five years old.
Last year the council launched its 5 by 5 initiative designed to support parents and carers as they prepare their child for starting school.
The initiative gives parents and carers ideas of things to try with their child before the age of five to boost their confidence, imagination, independence, social and creative skills and ability to understand the world around them.
The scrutiny committee did not make comment on the target, which was included in a report on the performance headlines for pupils and young people for the academic year 2024-25.
Councillors noted the report.
