Agenda item

Annex A to this report is a Part 2 (Exempt) matter at Item 15.

Report ED15112

The Committee considered a report outlining the education outcomes for Bromley children in care for the 2013/14 academic year.  The number of Bromley children in care had fluctuated over the year, showing a steady increase across all age ranges, but most significantly impacting the Bromley Virtual School across Early Years and Key Stage 1.  The inclusion of the Year 12 and Year 13 cohorts, amounting to over 60 additional young people, had brought the total number of pupils in the Bromley Virtual School to over 230.  The academic progress of all Bromley children in care was closely monitored by the Local Authority; however the reporting cohort for education outcomes for Bromley children in care was limited to those who had been looked after continuously for a period of one year between 1^st April 2013 and 31^st March 2014. 

At Key Stage 1, 11 children formed the reporting cohort.  Of these children, six had achieved Level 2 in Reading, Writing and Maths and seven had achieved Level 2 in Speaking and Listening.  Three children had statements of special educational needs, and a further three had identified special educational needs without statements.  At Key Stage 2, eight children formed the reporting cohort.  Of these children, five had achieved a combined Reading, Writing and Maths score of 63%.  Two children had statements of special educational needs, and a further three were at School Action Plus.  At Key Stage 4, 27 young people formed the reporting cohort.  Of these young people, four had achieved 5 GCSEs at A*-C including English and Maths.  67% had identified special educational needs with 11 having statements of special educational needs.  This equated to 41% of the cohort having a statement of special educational needs against a national figure of 2.8%.  Many of these young people had achieved remarkable results, despite ongoing disruption or other issues, but some had not achieved the target grades set for them and work would be undertaken to identify the barriers these young people had faced and the additional support they would have valued during Key Stage 4.

In considering the report, a Member noted the increase in the number of kinship carers, which was an arrangement where the Local Authority had legal responsibility for a child and placed them with a family member or friend who became their foster carer.  The Head Teacher, Bromley Virtual School advised Members that these children and young people were supported in their attainment by the Bromley Virtual School.  In cases of special guardianship, where a child lived with carers who had parental responsibility for them and was no longer the responsibility of the Local Authority, monitoring by the Bromley Virtual School was only undertaken on a short term basis.

A Member was concerned at the proportion of young people who had not achieved an A*-C GCSE in English or Maths at Key Stage 4, as this could limit their opportunities for further education, employment or training.  The Head Teacher, Bromley Virtual School confirmed that all but one of the young people who had not achieved an A*-C GCSE in English or Maths at Key Stage 4 had now enrolled in a Post-16 functional skills course, with the intention being to transfer the young people with an appropriate level of ability into GCSE courses shortly. 

In response to a question from a Member, the Head Teacher, Bromley Virtual School noted that some children and young people had regularly moved schools or had a high level of absenteeism prior to coming into the care of the Local Authority, which had delayed the progression of any Statement of Special Educational Needs.  Work was being undertaken with the Special Educational Needs and Disability Service to ensure that Education, Health and Care Plans were developed for these children and young people to provide holistic support that met their particular needs as they progressed through education.

The Chairman thanked the Head Teacher, Bromley Virtual School and her colleagues for the excellent work undertaken to support the education outcomes of Looked After Children.

RESOLVED that the education outcomes for Bromley Looked After Children for the 2013/14 academic year be noted.