SCHOOLS throughout Somerset are getting strong support from the Local Education Authority, according to OFSTED inspectors.

An inspection of Somerset County Council's education department took place in September and the report, published last Thursday, concludes that support for schools is "in most instances effective".

It adds that overall strengths considerably outweigh weaknesses, adding: "Support for school improvement provided by the education development service is particularly strong, with very few weaknesses."

Somerset County Council corporate director for education Michael Jennings said: "I am delighted with the overall judgement of the inspectors that we are an effective LEA.

"I am particularly pleased that we have done very well in what is the main focus of the inspection - support for school improvement.

"We are all greatly encouraged by the judgement that our partnership with schools is strong. The achievement of this has been one of our main priorities."

Pauline Clarke, the executive board member with special responsibility for schools, said: "Despite the relatively low funding that Somerset LEA receives from the Government, which is conceded in the report, we knew we were doing a good job in supporting our schools.

"To have this confirmed by OFSTED illustrates the high priority we have given to education, sometimes at the expense of other services."

The inspectors highlighted eight functions as being "particularly effective", including school admissions, financial services and partnership with schools.

Also listed was the range of services available to schools along with support of schools causing concern, governors, school management and early years education.

The inspectors made 20 recommendations for action and found that three of the 40 functions of the Somerset LEA that were inspected were not "exercised adequately":

l Provision for pupils without a school place.

l Support for attendance.

l Support for behaviour.

But the report says that the LEA was aware of these weaknesses and has already started to tackle them.

The LEA now has 70 days from the publication of the report to produce an action plan to show how the 20 recommendations will be addressed.

In the report, the inspectors state that they are "confident that the LEA has the capacity to address the recommendations made and to continue to improve".

The report was welcomed by the county council's Conservative group as a reflection of the "hard work and dedication" of many in the education department.

The Tories' education spokesman Brigadier Christopher Wolverson said the group would now be fighting to ensure that the weaknesses identified are addressed vigorously.

"It is not acceptable that the most vulnerable - those children who have additional educational needs, those children in care and those children with no school place - do not receive proper support," he said.

"We shall also look for a more imaginative funding approach to tackle the school buildings capital and maintenance programmes."

Group leader Cllr John Smeaton said the Conservatives supported the inspectors' criticism of the current system of monitoring and evaluating the education department's work.

"This confirms our view that the present scrutiny system established by the Liberal Democrats is not effective. We shall continue to demand that action is taken to address this very serious weakness in the new 'democratic' political structure.

"The county council has a duty to ensure that the council is delivering services which residents want in the most effective and cost efficient manner," said Cllr Smeaton.