West Northamptonshire’s Children’s Services rated Good with Outstanding Leadership by Ofsted

07 July 2026

Children, young people and families in West Northamptonshire are safer and better supported by good services with outstanding leadership, according to Ofsted’s inspection published today.

It follows a lengthy improvement journey by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and Northamptonshire Children’s Trust (NCT), which took on some of the services from the previous County Council several years ago, when they were rated inadequate and among the worst performing in the country.

Under Ofsted’s new inspection system, which provides four judgements, a grading of Good was each given to three areas – for the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection, for the experiences and progress of children in care and for the progress of care leavers. The fourth area judged by inspectors – the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families – was graded as Outstanding.

These judgements highlight significantly improved outcomes for children across the area since the last Ofsted inspection in October 2022, when the services received a rating of Requires Improvement to be Good.

In today’s published report, which is available to view in full on the Ofsted website, inspectors also highlighted some areas where services could be strengthened further, such as the quality of support and plans for children in need, including disabled children, and clearer communication about support available to care leavers age over 21. Work is already under way to focus on these areas, with partners setting their sights on further improving the service in the years ahead.

Councillor Mark Arnull, Leader of West Northamptonshire Council, said: “This is excellent news for children, young people and families across West Northamptonshire. Ofsted has recognised children are receiving good services, reflecting many years of hard work, investment and commitment.

“It’s great to see Ofsted has judged the leadership of these services as outstanding, reflecting the collaborative approach by officers, elected members and partners in safeguarding and caring for children, the impact of clear direction on frontline practice and a relentless focus on improving outcomes.”

Councillor Michael Stratton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at WNC, added: “This is very much a collective achievement by our staff, Children's Trust colleagues and partners across the area and we’re proud of everyone who has been part of our journey. I would like to thank them for everything they’ve done in improving outcomes for our children, young people and families.

"We are pleased with this strong and positive outcome, but we are not complacent. Ofsted has highlighted some areas where we can improve further, and we agree with that feedback and already have plans in place to address those areas. This is an important milestone, not the finish line and our focus remains on a journey of continuous improvement to be outstanding in all areas in the future.”

Colin Foster, Chief Executive of Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, said: “We are delighted that Ofsted has recognised the significant progress that has been made and the positive difference this is making for children, young people and families.

“This achievement reflects the dedication, skill and commitment of colleagues across Northamptonshire Children’s Trust and our partners. Over recent years, we have successfully built a stable and experienced workforce, significantly improving recruitment and retention. As Ofsted noted, our social workers know their children well and speak warmly about them, demonstrating the strength of the relationships they build and the continuity of support they provide.

“We are particularly pleased that inspectors recognised the positive culture within the Trust. Our workforce described the organisation as being ‘like a family’, where colleagues feel trusted, valued and empowered to influence and shape services. We are proud of our diverse workforce and the way different experiences and perspectives are celebrated, helping us to better engage with and support the children, young people and families.

“The quality of relationships between our practitioners and children is one of our greatest strengths. Through persistence, honesty and consistency, our teams build trusting relationships that enable meaningful engagement and effective support. It is especially encouraging that children and young people themselves spoke positively about their experiences, recognising the support they receive and the ambition our staff have for their futures.

“While we are proud of this outcome, we remain focused on continuous development. We welcome Ofsted’s feedback and will continue working with our partners to build on this success and ensure every child and young person has the opportunity to thrive.”