Agenda item

SECONDARY SCHOOLS OUTCOME - 2020

Report attached.

Minutes:

The Sub-Committee received an update report on the outcomes of the 2020 statutory assessments within the secondary sector. The report included headline figures for:  Attainment and Progress at GCSE and Attainment at A-Level.

 

 

The Sub-Committee received an update report on the outcomes of the 2020 statutory assessments within the secondary sector.  The report also included headline figures for attainment and progress at GCSE and Attainment at A-Level.

 

The report stated that that within Havering, there are 18 Secondary Academies, 6 Academy Sixth Forms, 3 Special Schools.

 

The Sub-Committee was informed that the Local Authority (LA) has a statutory duty to identify schools causing concern, those that are in decline or at risk of failure and to challenge and undertake timely interventions in schools to raise standards.

Where the LA has concerns about an academy performance, it will raise its concern initially with the school or directly with the Secretary of State via the Regional Schools Commissioner RSC and through Ofsted.

The main indicators at GCSE required Attainment 8 which is made up of 8 subjects. Grades 1-9 are translated into a numerical score, the total of which is Attainment 8. The average Attainment 8 score in Havering is compared with the Attainment of all pupils nationally.

 

It was explained that Progress 8 is calculated by the sum of the Attainment 8 results for all pupils in Havering, this score is compared with that of pupils all pupils nationally with the same KS2 attainment to create the P8 score which is the difference between the two.

 

It was noted that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the summer exam was cancelled in 2020.  In addition the Department announced that it would not publish any school or college level educational performance data based on tests, assessments or exams for 2020. This meant that the performance tables were suspended.

 

The Sub-Committee was informed that students who were scheduled to sit GCSE and A/AS level exams in 2020 were awarded either a centre assessment grade (based on what the school or college believed the student would most likely have achieved had exams gone ahead) or their calculated grade using a model developed by Ofqual - whichever was the higher of the two.

 

It was explained that Key Stage 4 (GCSE’s) –attainment in Havering were above national.  The average Attainment 8 score in 2020 was 51.9 – marginally above as the national average of 50.2 this places Havering in the second quintile nationally and above the majority of its statistical neighbours.

 

Officers stated that outcomes have fluctuated over the last few years, with the ongoing changes in exams and methodology however it has remained consistently above national.

 

The Sub-Committee was informed that GCSE progress nationally will always remain static with state-funded schools being marginally below 0. The DfE have not published Progress 8 for 2020 and therefore it was not represented on the line graph of the table. Officers stated that the Fisher Family Trust data for 2020 shows that secondary schools in Havering delivered positive progress that was above the national average by their calculation even though it was from a high starting base.

 

It was stated that progress 8 in Havering has increased considerably from well below national in 2016 to broadly in line as at 2019. Historically Havering has been in the middle quintile at the end of Key Stage 4. However, pupils’ prior attainment should also be considered as primary attainment in Havering has consistently been in the top quintile for the last decade, therefore it was extremely challenging for secondary schools in Havering to deliver top quintile progress.

 

It was explained that the Key Stage 5 A/AS levels in 2020 were awarded predominately through centre-assessment grades (what a school or college believed a student would most likely have achieved had exams gone ahead); for vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) awarding organisations were often able to use evidence of work already completed for CAGs. For other VTQ qualifications adapted assessment meant calculation was not needed at all. There was no national standardisation/moderation and some boroughs increased their attainment by significantly large percentages.

 

Officers stated that outcomes have fluctuated over the last few years, with the ongoing changes in exams and methodology calculations. The six academy sixth forms have had a 4-year improvement which has resulted in Havering now being ranked first  amongst statistical neighbours and 34th nationally, placing in the top 40%. Havering schools increased by 4.5 percentage points in 2020.

 

The Sub-Committee was informed that the long standing excellent attainment at GCSEs and A-Levels did not translate to Ofsted judgements with ‘percentage of schools Good or Better’ only being above national once previously in 2013.

 

In 2012 schools were encouraged to become academies.  Following this, the percentage of Good or better schools over time decreased to 56% and fluctuated with the ongoing changes in methodology calculations and academies being re-sponsored. Through the service quality assurance programme, working with our local sponsors and through work on developing leadership, our position has steadily improved since 2016. Last year saw the first re-inspection of a number of our formerly re-brokered academies and therefore showed a marked improvement.

 

It was noted that secondary schools have enjoyed a three year improvement which has resulted in the averages being above national and Havering now being ranked fourth amongst statistical neighbours and 66th nationally.

 

The Sub-Committee was informed that the ambition of the service was to ensure Havering schools are Good or Better. In response officers stated that there three schools which were currently rated as inadequate and one school that required improvement but an inspection will give a positive rating.

 

The Director of Service reassured the sub-committee that available data suggest schools in Havering are moving in the right direction.

 

The Sub-Committee noted the content of the report and the performance of Havering schools and academies in relation to national standards, outcomes across London, and in comparison to statistical neighbours.

 

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