To receive a verbal report on Educational Attainment from 2022/23.
Minutes:
Members received a presentation from the School Performance Team Leader and the Director: Education & Skills on the 2022/23 Educational Attainment statistics of schools across the Borough. Members were informed that the data presented to them had been published nationally and marked a return to full primary school data since the COVID-19 Pandemic and a second year of full secondary school results data.
The presentation summarised the highlights for both results in primary age which included key stage 1 and key stage 2 as well as summarising the results for secondary school GCSE results.
For key stage 1 it was summarised that there had been a good level of development with phonics. Members were informed that reading, writing and maths were a statutory requirement and were to be taught in early year’s education. The results in these areas were in line with the national average in schools across the Borough.
The statistics also highlighted the local authority were above the statistical average in comparison to national and regional neighbours and this was also seen amongst children classed as ‘disadvantaged’. It was summarised that the results for year 1 pupils had increased and for those children that do not reach the required results, extra support would be available in year 2. In summary, the presentation highlighted that for key stage 1 the levels of attainment across pupils were broadly in line with the national figures and recognised that disadvantaged pupils on average were below national statistics.
Members were informed that the outcomes for both reading and maths for key stage 2 were based on SATs tests. The results presented to Members were sampled and moderated across schools in the Borough. The figures highlighted that there was a 61% combined statistic of children who had achieved greater than expected standard. This was summarised as a 2% increase to that of local and regional neighbours.
Members were informed that the definition for disadvantaged pupils was defined by whether or not a pupil was in receipt of free school meals and that the statistics for them in key stage 2 was just under 50% attainment. This was explained as being better than the national average, however, Members were assured that further work would take place to provide additional support.
The statistics presented for key stage 4 were a result of attainment across GCSE grades. Members were informed that the statistics for GCSEs were largely in line with the national average but were slightly lower than the figures from 2019 with disadvantaged pupils being lower than the average. Members were informed however that this was expected and reflected nationally as a result of the continued impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Following the move to the numbered grading system, 59% of pupils achieved a standard/strong pass in their GCSEs and 40% achieved a combined pass with their English and Maths. It was highlighted that more children had reached the benchmark in English.
The presentation concluded with the next steps and areas of focus going forward. Members were informed that further support would be available for those pupils that were struggling, especially with the use of the RADY project for year 2 students. There would also be further funding and support available for schools.
Following the presentation, Members posed a number of questions.
Was learning to write in cursive a requirement and was there evidence that it had an impact on children?
It was a requirement that by the end of primary school, children would be able to write joined up and that there were developments to phase cursive writing in schools.
What was being done to get parents and carers to work with schools to help with a child’s learning?
There was ongoing work with parents and/or carers with support colleagues following COVID-19 to invite them into schools for activities such as interactive maths lessons.
How were schools monitored and how often would the team monitor a school’s progress?
For maintained schools, there was a monitoring board across the service area that looked at both outcomes and safeguarding. The OFSTED inspections were utilised to aid with the monitoring of schools.
Were there community projects that were aimed for parents that were not engaging with schools?
There were interventions in place for parents and carers that were less engaging with schools such as the RADY project and there were other elements that schools utilised such as after school and sports clubs. With the Department for Education’s focus on attendance there were opportunities in schools to engage with communities such as the opportunity to work with family hubs.
When examining attendance and attainment how did it compare to disadvantaged pupils and their results?
The attainment statistics looked at the overall figures. Work was being undertaken with the Department for Education to explore this further and enable academies in the Borough to forensically examine this to understand the impact of attendance and attainment in greater depth with factors including if a pupil was classed as disadvantaged.