The promise from the new chief inspector of schools for a greater focus during inspections on the educational attainment of children in care is all well and good, but only if it leads to real change.
We are already only too aware of the poor level of education many children in care receive. The latest official statistics show that only 7 per cent of these children achieve five or more GCSEs at grade C or above. More than half leave school without a single GCSE or GNVQ to their name.
New research from the Department for Education and Skills on the activities and experiences of 18-year-olds reveals that, for those who leave school empty-handed, there is a 30 per cent chance that two years later they will not be in education, training or employment. This is the legacy of the 50 per cent of schools who the chief inspector says are failing to support looked-after pupils well enough.
It is fair to say that, with statistics like that to work with, the 'virtual head teachers' to be appointed under the children in care green paper will have their work cut out.
No other head teacher would avoid serious, heavy-handed intervention measures if more than half their pupils left full-time education without a single qualification. So serious (although perhaps not so heavy-handed) interventions are what are needed now to ensure standards at these virtual schools are brought up to scratch quickly.