Applications for York play projects invited

Community groups are invited to apply to City of York Council’s Better Play Grant, which provides funding to organisations that deliver play opportunities for children and young people in York.


In the new financial year, £87,000 will be shared between projects of between one and three year’s duration, and which address the priorities highlighted in the York Taking Play Forward policy. In the current Community Play programme, four organisations are delivering projects until the end of March 2015.

To qualify, applicants for the 2015-18 funding must be a constituted voluntary organisation, or a community organisation with policies and operating procedures in place which are appropriate for working with children and young people. Successful applicants will also be required to register their organisation on the YorOK Service Directory.

Anyone wishing to talk through a project or idea in more detail before applying can contact Tim Waudby on 01904 553426 email: tim.waudby@york.gov.ukor Mary Bailey 551812 email: mary.bailey@york.gov.uk
Application forms and guidance can be down loaded from www.yor-ok.org.uk/play and must be submitted before the deadline of 13 March 2015.

York Council letting disadvantaged children down?

A new Centre for City’s study has put York bottom of a league table when measuring the exam results achieved by disadvantaged pupils.

Attainment graphs

Although the number of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C GCSEs including Maths and English in 2013/14 was good, the results for those from disadvantaged backgrounds was worse then elsewhere in the country.

 The gap in York at primary school age (KS2) is 23 percentage points.

This widens to a 40 percentage point difference between disadvantaged pupils and their peers at GCSE level: just 29 per cent of disadvantaged pupils in York achieve five or more good GSCEs, while 69 per cent of their peers do.

The government’s flagship “pupil premium” funding was intended to address this issue.

Someone at the York Council needs to start explaining why some secondary schools seem to be letting down those pupils from a disadvantaged background.

Council Leaders have been quick to jump on any good news from this organisation.

When a downturn in performance become apparent, silence isn’t an adequate explanation.

York’s Youth Smoking Data Released

New figures released this week show that estimate smoking rates among young people in York are above the national average.

Commissioned by Public Health England and NICE, and modelled by the University of Portsmouth and the University of Southampton, the figures are estimates of youth smoking rates for every local authority, ward and local NHS level – based on factors known to predict young people smoking.

The data will help City of York Council and other organisations in the city to respond to levels of smoking and is available on PHE’s Local Health website.

The council welcomes Public Health England’s ambition is to reduce smoking rates among young people to secure a tobacco-free generation. In York an estimated 14.54% of 15 year olds are regular or occasional smokers, compared to the national estimate of 12.71%.

The figures mirror adult smoking rates which are falling less rapidly in some areas, with smoking rates considerably higher in deprived communities. Smoking is the single biggest cause of the difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest in England.

Nearly eight million people still smoke, with 90% having started before the age of 19.  There are 28,888 people who smoke in York.

City of York Council’s Acting Director of Public Health, Julie Hotchkiss said: “Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do to improve your health, but not starting smoking at all is even better.  If we can stop young people starting smoking before the age of 19 then they stand the best chance of enjoying the health, social and financial benefits of a smoke-free life.

“Although the national modelling shows the number of 15-year-olds who smoke often or regularly in York to be higher than average, last summer’s survey of Year 10 students showed the rates were about in line with the national average.  However City of York Council is aiming to prevent all children from taking up smoking in the next few years, to create a smoke-free generation.”

With the help of North Yorkshire and York’s NHS Smokefree Service “New You”, you’re up to four times more likely to quit for good.  For help to quit smoking telephone 0300 303 1603.

Government to help fund improvements to York’s children’s centres

Hob Moor children's centre

Hob Moor children’s centre

The government has announced that it will help to fund Improvements to children’s centre services in the City.

The announcement was made by Stephen Williams MP

It forms part of a government project which help councils deliver “more for less” by working with local communities and neighbourhood groups to redesign services to address their needs have today been awarded a share of £2 million to develop them further.

Communities Minister Stephen Williams announced 24 successful bidders for Delivering Differently in Neighbourhoods funding after they set out innovative approaches to transform services, drawing on the energy and expertise of local people to help to reduce reliance on public services and cut waste – giving local people a greater role in solving problems in their local area by themselves.

Liberal Democrat Councillors are monitoring the project closely. They want to ensure that the work of local children’s centres is enhanced by any changes.

There was a fear that proposals tabled by Labour last year were just a cost cutting exercise.

Ofsted publishes list of “failing” York schools

York schools reports published “on line”

Ofsted have made their inspection reports – and statistical tables for all schools – available “on line”.York High

The statistical sheet for York High can be viewed by clicking here.

Other York secondary schools can be accessed by clicking here

You can access Primary schools on the Ofsted web site here or, for west York schools, click the links below

Most York schools are performing well.

One exception was Canon Lee (which has already been subject to widespread media comment)

Five Primary schools were criticised in their last Ofsted reports

Nine York Primary schools were rated as “Outstanding” by Ofsted.

GCSE results

Meanwhile  Key Stage 4 School Performance Tables published today show that many York schools achieved excellent results and are well above national averages.

The percentage of pupils gaining five or more A*–C grades at GCSE (or equivalent), including English and Maths, is 62 per cent. This is 6 percentage points above the national average and places York in the top spot in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

The results place York in the top 14 per cent of Local Authorities in England. 

York is also in the top 10 per cent of Local Authorities in England for pupils achieving the ‘English Baccalaureate’, and in the top third for pupils achieving ‘at least expected rates’ of progress from the end of Key Stage 2.
(more…)

Schools face overcrowding challenge in York

Return of the mobile classroom?

School place shortfall

The majority of primary schools are overcrowded according to new figures released by the York Council.

Although some new building works are planned, the position would be exacerbated if Labour’s “Big City” Local Plan gets the go ahead.

Developers are required to pay for additional school places, when providing more homes, permanent provision often lags some years behind new homes being occupied.

Some primary school sites – such as Our Lady’s on Windsor Garth – have been sold for redevelopment, adding to local pressures.

The position at York’s primary schools means that pressure on Secondary school places – only one of which is currently beyond capacity – will build over the next 5 years.

By 2019 an additional 635 secondary school desks will be required.

For many years Oaklands school (the predecessor of York High) operated with several mobile classrooms. Apart from the classrooms being remote from the main building, extra pupils placed pressure on communal facilities such as assembly halls.

Lack of spaces may further reduce the choice available to parents when they decide which school to send their children to.

Free childcare places available in York

Parents of toddlers in York are being reminded to check out whether they’re eligible for free childcare.

From 1 January over 585 two-year-olds in York are eligible for up to 15 hours of free childcare a week at a playgroup, day nursery or with a childminder as part of a national initiative.

Parents, who earn no more than £16,190 a year and receive Working Tax Credits, Child Tax Credit or Income Support, could be eligible for a free childcare place. Two-year-olds, who are looked after by the council automatically qualify for a place.

Since September 2014, children with special educational needs, those who have been adopted or with a residency/special guardianship order also qualify for a place.

The free places are available to children who are two years of age and whose parents fulfil the criteria. The places can be taken up the term after the child’s second birthday.

Parents can apply on line at www.yor-ok.org.uk/childcare or to find out more call the Family Information Service on 01904 554444 or text ‘’free place’ to 07624 802244.

York Stars

A young people’s theatre group has devised, written, produced and performed a short play for residents of the city’s care homes.

The York Stars, a small, local theatre company specialising in community-based productions, was one of four organisations to receive a grant through the Community Play fund. The £90,000 fund was set up to provide fun, stimulating play opportunities, activities and events for children and young people, as well as their parents and carers, within the local community. The programme was managed by Your Consortium on behalf of the council.

Around 20 young people were involved in the project, which got under way at Easter. They put together their own performance, entitled The volcano in Ashraino, writing and directing the play themselves, before embarking on a tour of four residential care homes during the autumn of 2014. They performed at Oakhaven, Willow House, Red Lodge and Dower Court, for almost 60 residents in all.

To view a review of the scheme click

To find out more about the projects being funded through City of York Council’s Community Play fund click here

Vulnerable families helped in York

Almost 300 vulnerable families in York have received help and support to turn their lives around according to figures released by the government today (22 December).

Figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government show that 282 families have been helped by York’s Family Focus Team, which works with families with multiple and complex needs. Their work involves resolving truanting and antisocial behavioural problems, helping family members tackle addiction or get back into employment.

Families identified as ‘troubled’ by the government are characterised by having no adult in the family working, children not being in school and family members being involved in crime and anti-social behaviour.
(more…)

Cheap bus travel offer for teenagers in York over Christmas

York is making it easier for young people to travel around the city this Christmas with a holiday special offer lowering the price of an All York ticket to just £1.30 for the day.YOzone_11-16

From Saturday 20 December until Sunday 4 January children aged 11-16 who are travelling with a YOZone card will be able to purchase the reduced price ticket, which will enable them to travel all day on any York bus.

Alongside this new Smart YOZone cards are being sent to young people across the city who are already signed up to the scheme.

The new system will allow for quicker boarding and cut down on the occasional misuse of the cards. People will be able to use the cards as soon as they receive them and all buses will be able to accept them in Smart mode by early 2015.

For more information on travelling in and around York visit http://www.itravelyork.info/