Issue - meetings

Report CEF23011

The report summarised the education outcomes for the 2021/22 academic year for children attending Bromley schools. 

A Member was pleased to observe that the attainment of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities was higher at Key Stage 4 in Bromley than at a national level and the Director of Education outlined different ways that attainment was supported, including early identification and via a range of interventions.  In response to a question from a Member about attainment of all pupils at Key Stage 4, the Director of Education explained that whilst attainment was often extremely high in Bromley schools, this was not always reflected in pupil progress and that work was underway to address this, including training in schools and targeted work with the Education Endowment Foundation.  Attainment data for Key Stage 5 for the 2021/22 academic year was not yet available but this would be provided to the Committee once it had been released. 

In considering exclusion outcomes, a Member was concerned to note that Bromley secondary schools had fallen 51 places in the percentile rankings between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 academic year for fixed period exclusion rates.  The Director of Education advised that this statistical variation in part reflected the significant reduction in fixed term exclusions during the COVID-19 period; however, there were identified issues around increased pupil anxiety and challenge in the post-COVID period that was impacting the number of fixed term exclusions.  There had also been a disproportionate increase in permanent exclusions in some Bromley schools for the 2021/22 academic year which was subject to challenge as part of an ongoing monitoring exercise.  A Member proposed that an information briefing exploring truancy in Bromley schools be provided to a future meeting of the Committee and this was supported by Members. 

RESOLVED: That education outcomes for children in Bromley schools for the 2021/22 academic year be noted.