To consider school performance of summer 2017 and make recommendations to cabinet on how the effectiveness of the school improvement framework and strategy could be enhanced.

The committee received a report by the Director for Children’s Wellbeing concerning school examination performance from summer 2017. Lisa Fraser, Head of Learning and Achievement (HLA) introduced the report and provided a presentation on statistics around attainment. During the presentation she advised the committee that the school improvement service at the council relied on limited resource and was concerned with statutory functions primarily. Significant advancement in attainment had occurred in phonics for which commendation from the minister had been received. Challenges remained in key stage 2 mathematics with performance below the national average. Areas of development included work around vulnerable groups; performance of free school meals pupils, in particular, was mixed with outcomes varying from top to bottom quartile depending on the assessment indicator.

The committee made the comments below in the discussion that followed:

·         The distinction between Ofsted ratings and the position of a school in the attainment league tables was queried. The HLA explained that Ofsted took a holistic approach to assessing schools; the approach of the school improvement service was based on driving improvement through assessment of attainment.

·         It was noted that there was a significant gender gap in attainment in early years education and it was queried how it was proposed that this gap would be reduced? There was a gender attainment gap which reflected national data.  However, both boys and girls performed at a higher level than their peers.  Girls’ achievement was in the top 5 local authorities nationally; boys’ achievement ranked in the second quartile.

·         What targets were in place to diminish the gap to the performance of disadvantaged pupils? Herefordshire Council’s Learning and Achievement Team intend to issue schools with targets focussing on the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.

·         The sum of £561,000 from the DfE was welcomed but it was queried whether the Council could have secured more funding. The amount secured was a significant sum of money for Herefordshire but the Council would not be deterred from applying for additional pots of money to support teaching.

·         In light of the attainment of pupils at key stage 2 mathematics the small schools maths project was raised. It was noted that the project currently involved a small number of schools and it was queried what opportunities there were to roll-out the project to other schools. If the programme was successful the approach would be disseminated across the county, it was noted that in order to move up a quartile in attainment only a small number of children were required to make improvements to their attainment.

·         The effect of small cohorts on attainment and position in quartiles was raised. It was queried what analysis was undertaken to explain poor performance resulting from small cohorts. It was acknowledged that some cohorts were very small and annual risk assessments were conducted on schools felt to be at risk. The issues surrounding attainment at schools identified at risk of poor performance were often deeper than small cohorts alone.

·         The receipt of set exam papers and course materials,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36