Agenda item

The Committee considered a report from the Principle Inspector of the Havering School Inspection Service regarding the performance of Havering primary and secondary schools, as well as academies in assessments, tests and examinations.

Members were told that Havering had made a key achievement in that Havering was one of only 2 Local Authorities in the country (out of 150) to have no schools performing below the new government ‘floor standard’ in 2011.

At Foundation Stage, it was stated that there had been a significant narrowing of the gap between the average FSP scores and those of the lowest 20% of pupils in the Authority, and we are pleased to report that this gap has narrowed still further in 2011.

In Key Stage One, Overall performance at the Levels 2+, 2B+ and 3+ benchmarks at Key Stage 1 improved. This improvement maintained Havering’s place above the national average and was in keeping with the improving trend in the national picture.

As was the case for the Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 assessments were all teacher-assessed rather than tested, as they were at the subsequent key stages; and again, like at the Foundation Stage, schools had been supported in recent years to improve the accuracy of the teacher assessments. As a result of this robust process of cross moderation these judgements were now as accurate as they could be. 

The Committee was informed that at Key State Two industrial action (in 2010) taken by some headteachers in Havering and across the country had led to the English and Maths SATs not being administered in approximately half of all Havering schools. Comparing the 2011 results with those of 2010 was therefore probably of less value than comparing progress in the trends over recent years. 

The key achievements in Key Stage Two were described as follows:

-         Level 4+ attainment in both English and maths combined rose to 77.1% - above 2009 and higher than this year’s national average figure of 74%, which has remained relatively static for a number of years. Level 5+ performance rose to 22.1% - well above previous years. This places us, once again, above the national average, which dropped back again this year following a significant rise last year. Raising the achievement of our most able learners remains a focus in all of our schools.

-         In English, Level 4+ attainment rose to a best ever 85.7%, well above the static national average figure of 81%. Level 5+ performance increased to 33%: well above both our 2009 result and the national average.

-         In mathematics, Level 4+ attainment rose to 82.3% - just 0.1% below our highest ever results of 2009 and above the national average. Level 5+ rose to 35.8%, to remain above the national average.

At Key Stage Four, the Committee was asked to note the following performance:

-         Following the significant rise in Key Stage 4 results in 2010, results improved in 2011 – the 5th year of sustained improvement, with the key measure of 5+A*-C including English and maths rising by a full 10 percentage points over that time.  

-         The key measure of 5+A*-C including English and maths rose to 64.2%; still well above the rising national average figure of 58.3%.

-         The measure of 5+A*-C also rose again, representing a sustained year-on-year improvement. The national average figure matched the Havering figure for the first time this year. However, the national improvement was the result of many schools around the country adopting a variety of courses which carry multiple GCSE “equivalencies” but which the current government do not favour and they were looking to either phase out or reduce their equivalency. Havering schools continued to offer a broad and balanced curriculum that was still GCSE-based for the majority of learners, with an appropriate offer of other courses for some students.

-         Not only was attainment in Havering continuing to improve, but students’ progress in English and in mathematics continues to rise and outstripped national performance.

-         The second year that the English Baccalaureate measure was being reported. It rewarded those students who achieved an A*-C in English, maths, 2 sciences, a modern foreign language and either history or geography. This measure was introduced retrospectively last year and still did not reflect any changes in curriculum take up.  

The main aspects of Key Stage Five were detailed as follows:

-         Outcomes for 6th form students in Havering improved in both key measures in 2011.

-         5APS per student and per examination were two headline measures used to assess the performance of sixth forms.  Whilst it was important to compare individual year results with national scores (the latest national scores were for 2010) it was equally important to note the trend over time to ensure these scores were improving.

-         The average point score per student provides a measure of the average number of A level equivalents studied and the grades achieved. The more qualifications undertaken by a student and the higher the grades achieved, the higher the average point score per student. For Havering schools, APS per student remained significantly higher than the national average though trends over time varied for each school/academy.

-         The average point score per examination gave an indication of the average A level grade achieved by students at an institution. The higher the grade, the higher the points score per examination entry. For Havering schools APS per examination remains higher than the national average though trends over time vary for each school/academy.

The Committee was also given information regarding schools receiving direct support from Havering School Inspection Service.

The Committee raised questions around the phasing out of the Connexions Service and it was confirmed that the service would be replaced by the National Careers Service. This new careers service would be monitored against a matrix service with a quality award awarded were appropriate. This service would also be a part of Ofsted inspections and via a ‘Destination Measure’ that would track destination of students a year after leaving school.

The Committee noted the report.