Nearly one in five councils that had a safeguarding inspection this year for their service for vulnerable children were found to be inadequate, according to latest Ofsted figures.

No local authority’s looked-after children service was judged outstanding, but the total number of schools in special measures or served with a notice to improve reduced from 553 at the end of last year to 451 at the end of August 2011.

Ofsted’s annual report 2010/11 draws on over 31,000 inspection visits across the schools, early years, children’s social care and learning and skills sectors in England. Over a fifth of schools judged inadequate at their previous inspection were found to be good or better when in spected again this year.

In addition, schools are now emerging from special measures faster than the previous year – after an average of 18 months rather than 20. In inspections of local authorities' children’s social care, where Ofsted completed the second full year of unannounced inspection of contact, referral and assessment arrangements, weaknesses identified the previous year had been addressed in the great majority of cases.

However the report highlighted the need for ‘greater ambition by those providers which have been consistently satisfactory over successive inspections’. A total of 14% of schools inspected this year, nearly 800 in total, have been judged satisfactory twice in succession and have no better than satisfactory capacity to improve.

‘Inspection is about helping services to improve so that children, young people and learners of all ages can benefit from the very best,’ Miriam Rosen, Ofsted chief inspector said.

‘It is therefore encouraging to see from this year’s annual report the strides being taken by some of those who have previously been judged to be failing.

‘It is of great concern, however, to see the high numbers of schools, colleges and childcare providers that are consistently delivering services for children and young people that are no better than satisfactory. Ensuring that there is real improvement must be a matter of urgency for these organisations.’

Responding to the report, Cllr David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association’s children and young people programme board, said: ‘It is most encouraging that despite the combined pressures of decreased central funding and increased demand for services the majority of children’s services departments are now rated as performing well or excellently overall.

‘However, a small number of council’s safeguarding services have been rated inadequate. The figures represent a year-on-year improvement and demonstrate that progress is being made, but all councils want to keep children as safe as possible and they will be working hard to continue to improve their services.

‘Councils are taking responsibility for their own improvement and the Local Government Association is developing a £10 million funded programme specifically to ensure all councils and voluntary organisations are providing good services for our children and young people.’