Ballifield Primary School - A Message from Councillor Veronica Hardstaff

Every child deserves and needs a high quality, broad-based education in order to succeed in life. To this end, the new Children's Service will work with all schools in the City to ensure that your child has the best possible resources, provided by well-trained and motivated staff in sound buildings. In addition, as work of the Children's Service is developed, extra support to children and their families will become available either at your school or very close by. You will be kept informed of developments in your locality.

The Council continues to work to develop its relationship with schools in order to improve standards. £1m. has been invested this year to raise standards and levels of attainment in Primary schools. A revised strategy for Secondary schools will go to Cabinet later this year. This will focus on achieving excellence across all our Secondary schools.

There are still schools in the City that require more capital investment, despite the fact that huge sums of money have been spent in recent years on rebuilding and refurbishing a number of schools. Indeed, £250m. has been secured since 1997 and there is more to come. There are plans in the pipeline for another 12 Secondary schools and several Primary schools and the Children's Centres to be rebuilt. Nevertheless we recognise further investment is still needed our school buildings.

We are committed to listening to parents’ views on the schools their children attend and I hope that schools will continue to develop close relationships with the communities they serve, in partnership with other services such as Health and Safety and Family Support, to maximise every child's opportunity to flourish.

I am sure that all the Members of Sheffield City Council join me in wishing you and your child well. You have my assurance that we will work as hard as possible to ensure that your child can enjoy learning and achieve his or her potential in a healthy and safe school.