Issue - meetings

This report provides the Panel with an overview of early-years & school education performance in the academic year 2022-23, including information on school attendance and exclusions.

Councillor Paul May, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services introduced the report to the Panel. He wished to draw their attention to two specific areas of results, Free School Meals and Key Stage 2, and the fact that B&NES was now seen as the worst in the country in these areas.

He said that it should be acknowledged that the overall performance of all schools is superb, but that this was an issue that we recognise that we continue to need to work on.

He stated that he welcomed the support that had been received from the St. John’s Foundation and that talks with the MATs and the Schools Standards Board were due to take place. He added that the DfE have developed an Area Plan in an attempt to promote greater engagement.

The Director for Education & Safeguarding addressed the Panel and said that it was important to understand the context of the education arrangements within B&NES and the role that the Local Authority can play now that 97% of our schools are academies.

He said that the Council still has a pivotal role to play and that officers would be taking part in the meeting with the Schools Standards Board tomorrow to discuss the DfE Area Plan. He added that their role was also to influence, challenge and support.

He encouraged Panel members to view the Strategic Evidence Base highlighted within the report to gain a further understanding of the demographic information.

He explained that officers from the Early Years team and Public Health were also present to help with any responses to questions.

He referred to the academic results for 2022/23 and said that they were broadly fantastic with only the Key Stage 2 results dropping below the national average. He added that results in Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 in terms of attainment and grades achieved were to be commended.

He stated that the quality of schools within B&NES was good and that this was reflected in the Ofsted ratings that have been achieved. He highlighted the following areas from the report to the Panel.

Early Years Foundation Stage

·  71% of children had a good level of development in B&NES. This is higher than both the South West (68%) and England (67%) values.

·  69% of children in B&NES were at the expected level for all 17 Early Learning Goals, higher than both the South West (67%) and England (66%) values.

Key Stage 1

·  63% of pupils in B&NES met the expected standard in Writing, higher than the South West (59%) and England (60%).

·  71% of pupils in B&NES met the expected standard in Reading, higher than the South West and England (both 68%).

·  74% of pupils in B&NES met the expected standard in Maths, higher than the South West (71%) and England (70%).

·  82% of pupils in B&NES met the expected standard in Science, higher than the South West (81%) and England (79%).

Key Stage 2

·  58%  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104