An Office for Standards in Education report says the LEA’s relationship with schools is very good and they are supported and challenged effectively. It said: “Suffolk is highly effective. It has a very good capacity to manage improvement.”

The inspection team also said: “Schools in Suffolk are generally well managed, few have been deemed to require external support and the costs of supporting schools are below the national average. The LEA support offers very good value for money.”

Provision for children in care, ethnic-minority children and gifted and talented children is good. Suffolk also has clear policies on race equality and takes effective action to promote them.

Mike Tomlinson, chief inspector of schools, said: “Suffolk is an outstanding local education authority with many strengths.”

East Sussex education authority is satisfactory and has significant strengths, but it still needs to do more to improve, say inspectors.

OFSTED says the LEA has been slow to adapt to the pace of change in education, but “in the past 18 months, initiatives have been more sharply focused and approached with a suitable sense of urgency”. Many heads and governors have a high regard for the work of the education authority, but some have a dismissive attitude to the use of target-setting as a contributory factor in raising standards in their schools.

Inspectors found that East Sussex has given insufficient priority to its strategies to promote equality and combat racism, although there are notable exceptions in the work with the children of asylum seekers, refugees and travellers. The report praised councillors who provide clear and sound leadership, and the education director, senior staff and service managers who are committed to improvement.

Inspectors urged East Sussex to evaluate the impact of school improvement services on LEA targets and improved standards for pupils, and to encourage commitment, particularly in schools, to its policies, priorities and processes.

SUFFOLK

Strengths

* the education development plan and its implementation

* allocation of resources to priorities

* strategy for special educational needs

* support for children in public care

* support for ethnic-minority children

Weakness

* the management of admissions appeals to schools in 2001

EAST SUSSEX

Strengths

* support for governors

* strategy for special educational needs (SEN)

* statutory provision for pupils with SEN

* collaboration and partnership with services and external agencies - provision of personnel services to schools

Weaknesses

* support for ICT in the curriculum

* the effectiveness of measures to combat racism and promote equality