Indicators of a School's Contribution to Wellbeing

How engaged are schools in the Every Child Matters programme? In its recent report on children's trusts, the Audit Commission found that schools are represented on 80 per cent of children's trust boards - a positive sign of their engagement at strategic level. However, the same report also questioned whether schools "see co-operation for children's wellbeing as a priority in the wider sense". It argued that they focus on pupil intake and school business, so don't necessarily have an eye to their place and role in the community.

But aren't schools supposed to promote wellbeing under the Every Child Matters agenda? Yes, in section 38 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 - but that's also very school-based. Although the duty came into force in 2007, the government has only recently closed its consultation on draft guidance on the school's role in promoting wellbeing. The Department for Children, Schools and Families and Ofsted are still consulting on wellbeing indicators for schools. The government has also announced that it plans to add schools, further education colleges, future academies and pupil referral units to the list of partners named under the Children Act 2004 duty to co-operate.