Children looked after by Milton Keynes City Council struggled to meet expected learning standards

The figures suggest fewer than five of the ten Key Stage Two children looked after by Milton Keynes City Council in the year to March 2024 met the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics during the last academic year.

Figures smaller than five were deleted to protect confidentiality.

Nationally, just 34 per cent of children in care who took the exam met the expected standards.

This is significantly lower than the overall pupil population, where 61 per cent met the expected standard.

The Department for Education said there was a larger prevalence of pupils with a special educational need in care, which they said explained for some of the difference in attainment compared to the overall pupil population.

Councillor Arooj Shah, chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: "Councils want to ensure that the children in our care get the very best support and education to enable them to thrive.

"For children in care, instability and traumatic life experiences can have a significant impact on their education.

"It is vital that for all children in care, we are able to provide the holistic support that they need to cope with earlier trauma, and the educational support including for special educational needs and disabilities that can help them thrive."

The Children Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which will have its second reading in the House of Lords on May 1, is seeking to amend The Children Act 1989, which requires local authorities to further support the educational outcomes of children in care.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Through our Plan for Change, this Government will break the unfair link between background and success.

"We are already taking swift action to improve these children’s life chances through our landmark Children Wellbeing and Schools Bill which will help prevent children falling through cracks in the system and make sure they receive the support they deserve.

"We’re also ensuring thousands more families will have the support of a specialist worker who can make sure they receive all the help they need from parenting to mental health or addiction support, by doubling council funding for early intervention from this year."

Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at https://www.yourworld.net/submit/ It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.