Newham Children’s Services Earns Ofsted Outstanding in All Areas

Key Points

• Newham Council’s Children’s Services has received an ‘Outstanding’ rating across all areas from Ofsted, marking the first time the council has achieved this gold standard.
• The inspection took place in November 2025, with judgements of ‘Outstanding’ in overall effectiveness, the impact of leaders on social work practice, experiences and progress of children needing help and protection, children in care, and care leavers.
• Services provide excellent support to children in need of help, protection, those in care, and care leavers, with very stable relationships between children and their support workers who know them extremely well.
• Strong leadership, a highly ambitious and accessible senior leadership team, clear strategic direction, political support, partnerships, and workforce investment drive high-quality, child-centred practice.
• The relationship-based ‘Circles of Support’ model is fully embedded across all service areas, fostering a positive culture of learning.
• Effective early help and support when needs are first identified, strong relationships that make a real difference to children’s lives, and a deep understanding of the diverse community.
• Impressive focus on children remaining within kinship networks, with children’s voices central to planning and decision-making.
• Strong co-production with children and families; relationship-based social work practice reflects a collaborative ethos, engaging families at every stage.
• Progress builds on the 2022 inspection, when services moved from ‘Inadequate’ to ‘Good’; Newham is now one of only six London local authorities rated ‘Outstanding’ in all areas.
• Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE praised the achievement as a testament to commitment for children, highlighting early years provision, educational outcomes, youth services, and the team’s passion.
• Deputy Mayor Councillor Sarah Ruiz, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education & Sustainable Transport, commended brilliant leadership and staff putting children at the heart.
• Laura Eden, Corporate Director of Children’s and Young People Services, expressed delight at recognition of relational, innovative, culturally competent services and gratitude to practitioners.

Newham (East London Times) January 12, 2026 – Newham Council’s Children’s Services has been rated ‘Outstanding’ across all areas by Ofsted, capping a remarkable five-year journey from inadequacy to excellence in child protection and support. The November 2025 inspection praised strong leadership, excellent support for vulnerable children, care leavers, and a fully embedded relationship-based practice model that ensures stable, impactful relationships with social workers. This achievement positions Newham among only six London local authorities to secure the top rating in every category, reflecting sustained improvements since the 2022 ‘Good’ judgement.

What triggered Newham Children’s Services’ transformation to Outstanding?

The Ofsted report details how senior leaders have strengthened services since the 2022 inspection, when overall effectiveness was judged ‘Good’ after emerging from an ‘Inadequate’ rating. “Children in Newham continue to benefit from consistently effective services that improve and enhance their experiences,” the report states, highlighting a very effective response when children are identified at risk. It emphasises that children in care and care leavers receive excellent support and benefit from very stable relationships with their workers who know them extremely well.

The highly ambitious and accessible senior leadership team has driven high-quality, child-centred practice across all service areas, supported by clear strategic leadership, strong political backing, well-established partnerships, and investment in the workforce. These elements have created positive working conditions enabling frontline practitioners to make a real difference to children’s lives. Newham’s relationship-based model of practice, ‘Circles of Support’, is now fully embedded across all areas of the service, with a positive culture of learning identified as a standout strength.

How does Ofsted rate Newham’s key service areas?

Ofsted awarded ‘Outstanding’ ratings in every judgement area from the November 2025 inspection: the impact of leaders on social work practice with children and families; the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection; the experiences and progress of children in care; the experiences and progress of care leavers; and overall effectiveness. Services offer effective early help and support for children and families when their needs are first identified, building strong relationships that allow professionals to make a real difference to their lives. The report notes a deep understanding of the very diverse community which they serve.

A standout feature is the impressive focus on children remaining within their kinship networks, ensuring that their voices are central to planning and decision-making. Social work practice with children is relationship-based, and work with families reflects a collaborative ethos; children and their families are very well engaged and supported by professionals to participate at every stage. Strong co-production with children and families underpins these successes.

What do Newham leaders say about the Ofsted Outstanding rating?

Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE said:

“I am over the moon that we have achieved outstanding across all areas of the Ofsted inspection for our Children’s Services, the first time ever that Newham Council has met the coveted Ofsted gold standard.”

She added:

“Building on the progress we made back in 2022 when Newham’s Children’s Services finally moved out of its ‘inadequate’ rating and were designated ‘good’, we are now one of only six local authorities in London officially recognised as outstanding in all areas by Ofsted.”

The Mayor described it as

“a testament to our enduring commitment for Newham to be the best place for children and young people in our borough. Along with the excellent early years provision we offer, the top-ranking educational outcomes that our youngsters achieve and our nationally recognised youth empowerment service, today’s Ofsted outstanding ranking reflects our belief that our children and young people should be provided all opportunities and services that keep them healthy, happy and safe.”

She concluded:

“It also reflects the passion of our committed and dedicated Children’s Services team, and I am proud of them very much today.”

Deputy Mayor Councillor Sarah Ruiz, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education & Sustainable Transport, said:

“I am thrilled with the improvement Children’s Services have made thanks to brilliant leadership. Being rated ‘Outstanding’ is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to every member of staff who continue to put our children and young people at the heart of everything we do in Newham.”

She noted:

“The whole team from leadership down through each member of staff has made this happen and I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

Laura Eden, Corporate Director of Children’s and Young People Services, said:

“I am delighted that our relational, innovative, and culturally competent services to children, young people and their families have been recognised by our regulator, Ofsted.”

She continued:

“We have strived to ensure every child, young person and family who needs additional support, protection and care receives a high-quality service and we will continue to do so. I am grateful to our dedicated practitioners and managers who make a difference daily to the lives of children, young people, parents, carers and families.”

Why is the ‘Circles of Support’ model a standout success?

Newham’s relationship-based model of practice, known as ‘Circles of Support’, is now fully embedded across all areas of the service, as highlighted in the Ofsted report. This approach fosters a positive culture of learning, identified as a standout strength. It ensures children benefit from consistently effective services that enhance their experiences, with professionals demonstrating a deep understanding of the borough’s diverse community.

The model supports effective early help when needs emerge, enabling strong relationships that directly improve children’s lives. For children at risk, responses are very effective, while those in care and care leavers enjoy excellent support through stable worker relationships. The report praises how this model prioritises kinship networks and amplifies children’s voices in all decisions.

What broader context surrounds Newham’s child services improvements?

This ‘Outstanding’ rating builds on steady progress, transforming Children’s Services from ‘Inadequate’ pre-2022 to ‘Good’ in 2022, and now to the pinnacle of excellence. Ofsted notes that since 2022, leaders have continued to strengthen services for children and families. Clear strategic leadership and political support, alongside partnerships and workforce investment, have been pivotal.

Newham children in need of help and protection, those in care, and care leavers all receive excellent support, benefiting from workers who know them extremely well. The borough’s diverse community is well understood, ensuring culturally competent practice. This five-year journey underscores a commitment to child-centred services, aligning with strong early years provision, top educational outcomes, and youth empowerment initiatives.

How does Newham compare to other London authorities?

Newham is now one of only six local authorities in London officially recognised as ‘Outstanding’ in all areas by Ofsted, as stated by Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE. This rare achievement reflects exceptional progress in a competitive landscape. The report’s emphasis on ambitious leadership and embedded best practices sets Newham apart.

Services excel in every inspected domain, from leadership impact to care leaver progress. The focus on kinship care, voice amplification, and collaborative family work further distinguishes the borough. This positions Newham as a leader in child welfare across the capital.