Agenda item

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%.  The Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance explained that a number of Bromley schools had been disadvantaged by changes to the list of qualifications which could be counted towards the attainment of 5 A*-C grades, and that there had also been a change to the early entry requirements for GCSE examinations which had disadvantaged some high achieving pupils.  A Member underlined the need for schools across the Borough to be prepared to meet the changing requirements of the Key Stage 4 curriculum.

In response to a question from a Member, the Assistant Director: Education noted that fixed term exclusions were one of the tools used by schools to manage issues of pupil behaviour and support them to remain in mainstream education.  It was important to ensure that schools continued to work with pupils to address identified issues and reduce the number of permanent exclusions.  An increasing range of alternative provision was now available across the Borough which would better meet the educational needs of some pupils at risk of permanent exclusion in mainstream schools into the future.

Members were generally concerned at the gap in performance at Key Stage 1 between pupils in receipt of free school meals and those who did not receive free school meals.  The Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance agreed that it was important to have a greater understanding of the gap in performance at Key Stage 1, and that more data analysis would be undertaken which would be reported to the next meeting of Education PDS Committee.  A Co-opted Member emphasised the value of being able to link Key Stage 1 performance to pupil’s early years provision to assist early years providers in evidencing their quality. The Portfolio Holder for Education confirmed that providers could request this information from schools, and the Head of Schools, Early Years Commissioning and Quality Assurance noted that this information was not part of statutory reporting and could be difficult to obtain.

At the request of Members, further information on the performance of Bromley Schools, including a breakdown of GCSE results by ethnic group and the gap in performance at Key Stage 1, would be provided to the next meeting of the Education PDS Committee.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The annual report on the standards of attainment and progress in Bromley schools during 2013/14 be noted;

2)  Ofsted outcomes for academies in Bromley be noted; and,

3)  Ofsted outcomes for Local Authority Maintained Schools, including detail in respect of schools identified as underperforming, an outline of Local Authority support and challenge provided and a rating of risk be noted.