Solihull children have "best development aged five"

[dutchman]

Children in Solihull have the best development in the country at age five, according to a new report.



But across the border in Birmingham just under half of all youngsters were not meeting standards.

The statistics, published by the Marmot Review, also reveal the West Midlands has higher than average percentages of young people not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs) and of people in households on means-tested benefits.

The research group’s findings have been published to mark the first anniversary of its Fair Society, Healthy Lives report, which highlights the challenge in reducing health inequalities faced by local authorities across England.

The assessment found just under half (44 per cent) of all five-year-olds in the country are not considered by their teachers to have a good level of development in the first year of school.

Solihull was ranked as having the largest percentage of children (69.3 per cent) achieving a good level of development.

In Birmingham the percentage was 55.3 per cent, but this fell to 49.1 per cent in Sandwell.

As local authorities are set to take over responsibility for public health from the NHS, the report highlighted the importance of tackling social inequalities to help prevent ill health.

Data revealed the percentage of NEETs was 8.1 per cent in Birmingham, 8.6 per cent in Walsall and 9.9 per cent in Sandwell, above the national average of seven per cent.

The investigation also gathered details of the life expectancy at birth for men and women, with all West Midlands authorities except Solihull ranking below the national average.