Issue - meetings

Report ED15056

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report that provided an update of recent Ofsted and school improvement activity across the Borough and outlined the standards achieved in schools across Bromley during the academic year 2013/14, based on an analysis of National Curriculum assessments and GCSE/GCE examination results from Summer 2014. 

The overall percentage of pupils achieving a good level of development across all seven areas of learning at the Early Years Foundation Stage was 68% across all Bromley schools against a national average of 60%, with girls outperforming boys both locally and nationally.  At the Early Years Foundation Stage, 51% of pupils in receipt of free school meals reached a good level of development, against 68% of pupils who did not receive free school meals, which was a gap of 19% against a national gap of 19% and an improvement of 5% on the previous year.

Across Key Stage 1 teacher assessments, Bromley’s performance remained above the national average at all levels.  At Level 2+, pupils who did not receive free school meals outperformed pupils in receipt of free school meals in all areas, however there was evidence of continued improvement in the last year with a decrease in the gap in reading, writing and mathematics.  82% of Bromley pupils now achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check, which was 8% higher than the national average.  64% of pupils in receipt of free school meals had achieved the expected standard which was an increase on the previous year, but still showed a gap of 21% against a national gap of 16%.

Overall Bromley’s Key Stage 2 attainment results were consistently above the national average at all levels.  There was still a range of achievement across Bromley primary schools, however there was evidence that the gap between pupils in receipt of free school meals and pupils who did not receive free school meals was narrowing.

At Key Stage 4, the percentage of pupils gaining 5+ A*-C grades including English and mathematics was above the national average, but had decreased 8% from the previous year against a national decrease of 4%.  There had been a corresponding decrease in the percentage of pupils gaining 5+ A*-C grades including English and mathematics who were eligible for free school meals in Bromley which had decreased to 37%, which showed a gap of 31% compared to 28% for the previous year and 26% nationally.

With regard to recent Ofsted and school improvement activity across the Borough, it was confirmed that since February 2015 there had been an Ofsted re-inspection at Bromley Road Primary School and an Ofsted monitoring visit at Worsley Bridge Primary School.  Following these visits, Bromley Road Primary School had been rated as ‘Good’ and Worsley Bridge Primary School had been identified as making satisfactory progress.

In considering the report, the Chairman highlighted the 8% decrease in the percentage of pupils gaining 5+ A*-C grades including English and mathematics from the previous year against a national decrease of 4%.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75