Agenda item

The Panel will receive a verbal update on this item from the Director of Education Transformation.

The Director of Education Transformation introduced this item to the Panel and was joined by the Senior Education Improvement Adviser and the Head of Education Inclusion Services to give them a presentation, a copy of which can be found on the Panel’s Minute Book or as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

Schools Strengths

•  Performance at the end of end of Reception remains above national

•  Reading is a strength at both KS1 and KS2

•  The disadvantaged gap is closing at the end of reception and for year 1 Phonics

•  B&NES is second in the South West for attainment at KS2

•  Inspection outcomes are strong for settings and schools; 85% schools and 94% of EY settings are Good or Outstanding

Performance at the end of Reception

Disadvantaged Pupils - B&NES gap is generally nearly double the national gap and is only improving very slightly in terms of EYFS Good Level of Development.

Year 1 Phonics Disadvantaged Gap

There has been a strong overall increase in phonics scores in Year 1 for all pupils as well as disadvantaged pupils but the gap remains much larger than national.

Key Stage Two Disadvantaged Gap

Neither local (-31%) nor national (-20%) gaps are closing.

Key Stage 2 Progress

Progress for disadvantaged pupils in B&NES improved strongly from 2016 to 2017 but has now stalled and remains much lower than for similar pupils nationally.

Key Stage 4 Disadvantaged Gap

The gap had closed in the 2017 results, but has since widened through 2018.

KS4 data for 770 pupils disappeared nationally in 2018

Children with SEND

2 Cohorts: SEN Support & EHCP. Data is from 16/17.

•  EYFS Good level of development is improving & is above national.

•  Attainment is above national average at the end of KS2

•  At the end of KS4 Attainment for SEN Support is roughly line with KS4, for the EHCP cohort it is below national

•  At the age of 19 children achieving level 2 & 3 qualifications has been improving, children with EHCP’s are above national. For SEN support is just below, but has been improving significantly since 2013.

•  The LA is also working to introduce a universal graduated approach to SEND to support schools with identification of SEND

•  LA provides funding to EY settings to provide additional support. Children in receipt of this funding are making positive progress

•  Continue to work to support the early years as a strategy to ensure the best start in life for children with SEND

How B&NES compares with the National gap in 2018

•  Reception 147^th out of 150

•  Phonics 146^th out of 150

•  KS1 Reading Joint 147^th out of 150

•  KS1 Writing Joint 142^nd out of 150

•  KS1 maths Joint 139^th out of 150

•  KS2 RWM 149^th out of 152

•  KS4 English and maths at 4+ 150^th out of 151

Narrowing the Gap for Disadvantaged Learners in Primary Schools Projects

•  Launched 23rd January 2019

•  Schools with the biggest gaps over the last 3 years

•  Schools with the highest percentage of FSM pupils

•  Schools with the highest number of disadvantaged learners

•  Likely to have the biggest impact

Project 1: Schools with biggest disadvantage gap 2015-2018

Castle / Peasedown St John’s / St Keyna / Newbridge / Roundhill / St Martins Garden / Whitchurch

Project 2: Schools with significant disadvantaged gap

Moorlands Federation / Oldfield Park Junior / St Michael’s CE Junior / Twerton Infant / St Andrew’s CE / St Saviour’s Infant / St Mary’s CE Writhlington

Narrowing the Gap for Disadvantaged Learners

Education Endowment Fund Recommendations

•  Strong leadership

•  High quality teaching and learning

•  An inclusive curriculum

•  Parental engagement

•  Effective use of data

•  Targeted intervention and support

•  Effective use of pupil premium, pupil voice and feedback

Research by the Centre for Excellence

•  Correlation between family deprivation and children’s cognitive development as early as 22 months

•  High quality early years environment and schooling can ‘buck the trend’

•  High quality EY provision targeting children from poorer children before age 5

•  Structured EY programmes prepare children living in poverty to succeed in primary schools.

•  Explicit focus on phonics and other literacy skills are vital

Actions to Narrow the Attainment Gap

•  Focus on schools with the highest number of underperforming pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds – Inclusion Expert Projects

•  Agree a Disadvantaged Learners Charter with MATs

•  Develop a more coherent and holistic strategic approach to challenging inequalities

•  Strengthen transition from EY settings into school EY classes

•  Work with Ofsted and the School Standards Board to identify and share best practice in EY

•  Explore opportunities to increase parental engagement

•  Promote systematic teaching of Phonics in Early Years

•  Target schools with the biggest gap in EYFS

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if there was enough funding going forward given the recent 40% increase in EHCPs.

The Corporate Director replied that the Dedicated Schools Grant was under pressure, but that B&NES were not alone in this scenario and that relevant conversations were ongoing.

Councillor Paul May, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People added that it was important for this funding to be maintained and if required it should be drawn from the Council’s reserves.

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that with around 5,000 children living in poverty locally surely there must be a socio-economic effect on their education.

The Director of Education Transformation replied that parental engagement can have a huge effect on the figures relating to their children. She added that in some cases there maybe multiple vulnerabilities to contend with.

Kevin Burnett asked if the figures in relation to the national gap had been the same for B&NES historically.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser replied that it was quite likely that we have been in these positions for some time. He added that the Council has contacted other local authorities to discuss and learn from best practice.

The Chair asked if any of the KS4 data that disappeared nationally in 2018 related to B&NES pupils.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser replied that a recent analysis had shown that it was not many.

The Director of Education Transformation commented that some schools may possibly be lowering their ‘on entry’ data IN YR to show better progress at the end of Key Stage 2. The EYFS team are moderating on entry data and it is too early to know if there is any evidence of schools lowering the on entry data.

Councillor Peter Turner asked if there was any correlation in the figures with regard to refugee pupils attending our schools as they often have a thirst for education.

The Director of Education Transformation replied that there is no evidence to show this and the small number of pupils may have additional vulnerabilities.

Kevin Burnett said that he welcomed the cohesive approach outlined in the presentation but asked if further resources were required to tackle the problems.

The Director of Education Transformation replied that by developing a more integrated approach it is possible to pool the small amount of resources; prioritise the disadvantaged pupils and schools with the biggest group of children in this group we can make a difference.  She added that if the figures can improve at schools such as Castle, Roundhill, St Michael’s, Newbridge & Peasedown then it can make a huge difference to our national position.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser added that the schools identified will receive quite intensive help alongside there being general help available for the other schools from project 2.

Councillor Michelle O’Doherty asked if there has been a rise in pupils receiving Free School Meals in B&NES.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser replied that yes there has been, for example, there were around 350 in the 2017-2018 Year 11 rising from around 250 a few years ago.

The Chair commented that the Council were fortunate to have such dedicated officers and that she appreciated their work on this issue. She asked if they had any particular feedback following the launch of the projects last week.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser replied that additional schools had shown an interest in Project 1 whilst a further eight schools were interested in Project 2 and many had expressed an interest in an extension of the project to early years.

The Director of Education Transformation added that some schools had also indicated that they would discuss the projects further with their respective academies.

Councillor Paul May stated that it was important to move forward and address our figures and to support our officers in this work. He added that it should be recognised that B&NES schools are good, but acknowledge the need for these figures to improve.

The Chair thanked the officers for their presentation on behalf of the Panel.