To consider school performance for summer 2014 and the effectiveness of the school improvement partnership strategy and framework approved by the Cabinet Member for Young People and Children’s Wellbeing to improve performance for Herefordshire’s children and young people.

The Head of Learning and Achievement provided the committee with an overview of the report and associated presentation, the principal points included:

i.        Slide 2 of the presentation should refer to Key Stage 1 covering years one and two in primary.

ii.       Overall, it had been a positive year, improving on the previous year’s results.  Attainment and achievement in key measures included:

Early Years Foundation Stage [EYFS] (5 year olds): the percentage of pupils achieving a good level of development was in line with the national average.

Key Stage 1 (7 year olds) and Key Stage 2 (11 year olds): attainment in Reading, Writing and Mathematics had improved year on year but, particularly for Key Stage 1, there were improvements still to be made.

Key Stage 4 (16 year olds): performance was slightly better than the national average, with Herefordshire being one of only six local authorities with improved results in terms of 5+ A*-C GCSEs, including English and Mathematics.  It was noted that seven secondary schools were performing above the national average.  Pupils at St. Mary’s RC High School had achieved 87% in this measure, putting it in the top percentile in the country; St. Joseph’s RC Primary School had also attained excellent results.

Key Stage 5 (19 year olds): average point scores continued to be above the national average.

iii.      Numerous examples were given of individual primary schools that attained consistently good and outstanding results.  Nevertheless, overall attainment in Key Stage 2 was slightly below the national average.

iv.      Pupils who were eligible for pupil premium (including looked after children, pupils who received free school meals, and pupils with English as an additional language) were performing below the national average.

v.       The areas of focus for the current year included: testing in Key Stage 1 to ensure that pupils could read as well as possible in order to access the curriculum; reducing the gaps at all key stages for pupils who were eligible for pupil premium or who were vulnerable, this would remain a key are of focus; and raising standards above national average in EYFS and further above national average in Key Stage 4.

In response to questions from the Chairman about the use of pupil premium by schools, the Head of Learning and Achievement reported that:

•        Information was being collated on which schools were using pupil premium to the best advantage, with the intention of disseminating practice to other schools; it was noted that the Minister of State for Schools had commended John Kyrle High School in relation to its use of pupil premium.

•        Ofsted reports had not indicated any concerns about local schools not publishing details of pupil premium allocation and spending.  The Chairman said that further assurance about this would be helpful for public understanding.

In response to questions from a committee member:

1.       The Head of Learning and Achievement confirmed that all looked after children in the cohort for GCSEs in 2014 were in education, training or employment in September  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63