Issue - meetings

This report provides an analysis and summary of overall performance of all pupils and key groups in the 2016 external test and teacher assessments across all key stages in Bath and North East Somerset.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked in terms of the number of schools in the area now being Academies, how achievable were the recommendations.

The Head of Education Improvement replied that they would look to challenge all educational settings as part of their statutory duty.

Councillor Alison Millar commented that the figures contained within section 4.8 of the report were low and asked how these were to be addressed.

The Senior School Improvement & Achievement Adviser replied that the Better Maths Project had been launched in September with 23 schools participating. He added that the project has been commissioned from the Bath and Mendip Partnership Teaching School with a clear focus on effective strategies to build teachers’ confidence and help pupils achieve the higher standard. 

He stated that officers have identified those schools with the biggest gap in boy’s attainment and progress in writing and asked them participate in a writing project jointly with the Bath and Mendip partnership Teaching school and Bath Spa University to develop strategies to support teachers to improve outcomes for boys.

Andrew Tarrant commented that he welcomed the intervention of Local Authority officers.

The Panel RESOLVED to approve the officer recommendations;

i)  Raise the teacher expectation in the Reception classes; validate the on entry data and extend EYFS moderation beyond the DfE statutory requirements (to moderate 25% of Reception classes on a four year cycle) to all schools where the proportion of children achieving a good level of development is below the national average.

ii)  Work collaboratively with the Bath and Mendip Partnership Teaching School and Bath Spa University to provide a programme of support for teachers to improve boys writing across the primary phase.

iii)  As part of our statutory duty for assessment, work in partnership with surrounding local authorities and headteachers in Bath and North East Somerset to ensure consistency in the interpretation and application of the new assessment system, including any recommendations from the Parliamentary Inquiry into the new primary assessment system.