Agenda item

This report provides an update and summary analysis of the overall performance of key groups of pupils in 2018 across all key stages in Bath and North East Somerset.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser gave a presentation to the Panel regarding this item, a copy of the presentation can be found on the Panel’s Minute Book or as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary is set out below.

Overview – All Pupils – Primary

•  The Early Years Foundation Stage Good Level of Development is slightly above national figures.

•  There is no significant difference between the performance of schools in B&NES and national performance at any key stage except in progress from KS1 to KS2 in writing and mathematics.

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

Overview – All Pupils – Secondary

•  There is no significant difference between the performance of schools in B&NES and national performance at any key stage.

•  B&NES is in the top 4 in the South West in the SW for attainment at KS4

•  The proportion of pupils achieving at least a standard pass (grades 9 to 4 or grades A*-C under the old system) in English and Mathematics has risen substantially from 63% in 2017 to 69% in 2018 compared to 65% for the South West and 64% nationally.

•  A level performance is improved and is now strong. There has been a strong rise in the proportion of students achieving the highest grades at A level from 10.3% to 13.1% compared to the national average of 10.4%. 

Overview – Disadvantaged Pupils

•  Outcomes for Disadvantaged pupils are significantly below both similar pupils nationally, and ‘Other’ pupils at all key stages.

•  Outcomes for these pupils at KS4 are on a worsening trend.

He said that the low performance of disadvantaged pupils is the main priority for the local authority and will need sustained and coordinated action over several years to properly address the challenge.

He explained that the data shows a significant proportion of disadvantaged pupils also have SEND and vice versa.  Where pupils have multiple disadvantages there is evidence to show that this has a significant detrimental impact on their progress. As a result a ‘one solution’ approach does not have the desired impact. For this reason the local authority has established a small project focussing on the schools with the highest percentage of disadvantaged learners over three years that addresses the impact of multiple disadvantages on pupils learning and progress.

Overview – SEN Support Pupils

•  Attainment of SEN Support pupils is in line with or above similar pupils nationally.

•  Progress of these pupils to KS2 and KS4 is significantly below all pupils nationally. However progress is generally above similar pupils nationally.

Overview – EHCP Pupils

•  Attainment of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan is not significantly different from similar pupils nationally but at KS4 Attainment 8 outcomes are falling faster than nationally.

•  Progress to KS2 and KS4 is significantly below all pupils nationally. However at both KS2 and KS4 progress is catching up with similar pupils nationally.

Outcomes for other groups

•  Outcomes for Children in Care in 2018 are above national for similar pupils at all key stages

•  Outcomes for most BME groups are  in line with national at all key stages but there is a lot of variation from year to year

•  Outcomes for ‘Black’ pupils in 2018 were strong at the end of reception and in phonics. However, outcomes at the end of KS2 have been low for the past three years.

•  Analysis of these three cohorts shows that there is an above average incidence of SEND and disadvantage but outcomes remain a concern.

Summary

•  Attainment for all pupils is improving at all key stages, and is amongst the best in the South West at KS2 and KS4.

•  Attainment for pupils with SEND Support pupils is similar to or above these pupils nationally

•  Attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils is low at all key stages. This remains the key issue for the local authority.

•  Attendance in primary schools is good, but in secondary schools it is below national.

•  A lower proportion of pupils had a fixed term exclusion in primary schools in B&NES in 2016-2017, but a higher proportion of pupils in secondary school had a fixed term exclusion.

•  A higher proportion of pupils in B&NES are in education, employment or training after they leave school.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if Beechen Cliff’s decision to continue use iGCSE qualifications affected the statistics for B&NES.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser replied that this was evident for the cohort of 2017 as these results were not counted in the Performance Tables and other government statistics.  He added that all KS4 data continues to be slightly affected by this decision and that as a result Beechen Cliff’s Progress 8 score, English Progress Scores and proportion of pupils achieving a pass grade in English are low and this has a small effect on the overall results for the local authority, particularly for boys.

Councillor Paul May wished to praise officers for their role on this overall issue.

The Chair commented that it was clear that there is an emphasis on improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. She asked if there was any feedback at this stage of the work undertaken by Daniel Sobel regarding the Narrowing the Gap for Disadvantaged Learners in Primary Schools Projects.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser replied that eight schools are participating in this fully funded intensive project and that seven of them have been visited. He added that a shorter project has also been commissioned by the Local Authority that is aimed at any other schools that wish to participate and that twelve schools are in this project.

He said that so far three of the schools involved in the intensive project have said that they appreciate the input and are finding it useful.

The Corporate Director commented that these issues would not be fixed instantly, but that officers were committed to addressing the challenge.

Councillor Peter Turner asked if comparative figures have been collated for the Multi-Academy Trusts.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser said that this work had not been carried out yet, but that there is an intention to do so.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked to what extent the (B&NES) Schools Standards Board has identified as a group any strategy for helping disadvantaged pupils.

The Director of Education Transformation replied that the Board had met for the third time this term and that all parties were beginning to share detailed data with each other. She added that the gap had narrowed at Norton Hill and Hayesfield and so officers would be seeking to share good practice with other schools.

She stated that the Council were preparing a charter that would demonstrate its commitment to working with disadvantaged children.

She informed the Panel that a protocol was also being developed for how the Council communicates any concerns it may have regarding academies and a process for them to share their data. She added that it was intended that the protocol would be brought to the Panel or a similar body following the Local Elections.

Councillor Michelle O’Doherty asked that as a number of schools had not been inspected by Ofsted for a number of years were the judgements still valid. She also asked for a view of the management and governance of schools locally.

The Director of Education Transformation replied that contact remains in place with our maintained schools and that support can be given to them if required. She said that no arrangements are in place currently to notify academies directly of any concerns they have, hence the work on the protocol mentioned.

She added that the Council is able to inform the Regional Schools Commissioner of any concerns.

She stated that a high proportion of local schools were Good or Outstanding and that schools that had become academies would not be inspected until three years had lapsed from the conversion.

Councillor Liz Hardman noted that persistent absence is above national average in secondary schools in B&NES. She asked what the role of the local authority is in supporting persistently absent pupils, given the reductions in the budget and in the Central Government Grants to support School Improvement.

The Corporate Director replied that the primary responsibility on this issue rests with the school but that we retain a Children Missing Education Service for our statutory elements.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what services are provided to schools that are choosing to not become academies.

The Director of Education Transformation replied that services are still provided and that these schools are visited by officers three times a year. She added that support is given regarding training and mentoring.

The Chair asked what is meant by the term ‘achieving greater depth’.

The Senior Education Improvement Adviser replied that this meant that the children are exceeding expectations of their age.

Councillor Paul May thanked the Panel for their comments and asked for the issues raised to be taken to the Schools Standards Board for further discussion.

The Panel RESOLVED to note: 

i)  The overall performance of pupils across schools in B&NES and how local schools performed against regional and national comparators.

ii)  The progress schools have made in narrowing the attainment gap for vulnerable groups across all key stages.

iii)  The actions taken and planned by Officers with identified schools to narrow the attainment gap for the biggest vulnerable group – those eligible for FSM.

iv)  The developing role of the School Standards Board in working collaboratively with officers to identify and agree local priorities to improve outcomes for all learners.