Agenda item

(To receive a report from Martin Smith, Children's Service Manager, School Standards, which summarises for the Committee the 2016/17 performance data for Lincolnshire schools)

The Committee gave consideration to report from Martin Smith, Children's Service Manager, School Standards and Michelle Andrews, Children's Service Manager, Early Years & Childcare Support, which summarised the 2016/17 performance data for Lincolnshire schools.

Heather Sandy, Chief Officer for Education introduced the report and advised that following the comments received from the Committee that the format of the report had been changed; and that officers welcomed any further comments concerning content and format going forward. 

The Children's Service Manager, School Standards advised that the report brought the outcomes of assessments within the Early Years, Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2, and Key Stage 4.  It was noted that where available, data sets had been compared to Local Authority averages, statistical neighbours and national figures.

The following Appendices were attached to the report presented:-

·         Appendix A – Key Number report 2017; and

·         Appendix B – FSM 2017 Performance Overview.

The Committee's attention was brought to the summary of results for Key Stage 1 Teacher Assessments for KS1 Reading, KS1 Writing, KS1 Maths; and Phonics; summary of results for Key Stage 2; and Key Stage 4.

Pages 72, 73 and 74 provided the Committee with details of the Lincolnshire priorities for 2017/18.  It was highlighted that to date Lincolnshire had done well to secure Strategic School Improvement Funding, which would support improvements over 2018/19; and that these programmes would be monitored for impact by the Department for Education in 2019/20.  Details of the approved bids in Round 1, and Round 2 were shown at the top of page 74 of the report presented.  Also, on page 74 was information relating to bids that the Council was still awaiting confirmation on.  These bids were focussed on the priority areas that had been identified by the Local Authority.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following comments:-

·         The ages applicable to the key stages, it was felt that inclusion of this information would be useful to members of the Committee;

·         The methodology applied when maintained schools were not performing.  The Committee was advised that advisors monitored the performance of maintained schools and highlighted any concerns to the leadership of the school.  If necessary, a pre-warning notice was served requiring the school to outline their response to addressing concerns. This would then be monitored, and if the school did not address the concerns, they would then be issued with a formal warning, which would be automatically shared with the Department for Education and Ofsted.  It was noted that the Regional School Commissioner could also intervene and send a formal warning notice even when the LA was reassured.  It was highlighted that the Committee was advised that the Regional School Commissioner for the East Midlands worked closely with officers at the Local Authority and that this process was co-ordinated;

·         Some concern was expressed that progress had not been as good as it might have been; and that the Committee would benefit from knowing earlier in the academic year in order to analyse the LAs response.  Officers advised that they had the data by the start of the following academic year, but until the data had been validated it could not be put in the public domain;

·         A question was asked as to whether the data was just for maintained schools.  Officers advised that the educational outcomes in the report reflected the achievement of all Lincolnshire's children in state funded education; and that there was no difference in the Council's approach to data breakdown.  One member felt that there had been improvement, however the improvement was running static;

·         One member highlighted that performance was down to inspiring teachers and the relationships built up between teacher and pupil.  It was highlighted that the most important thing was for the school to be a happy learning environment.  Officers advised that feedback from a recent conference had identified that Lincolnshire School Leaders were feeling increasingly connected and that the Strategic School Improvement Fund (SSIF) projects would ensure that this was happening with teachers and teaching assistants as well;

·         One member requested that it would be useful to have data separated between maintained schools and academies going forward, so that members of the Committee could see the progress being made in these areas; and

·         It was highlighted that not every child was academic; and queried whether employability was being developed; and whether this outcome was measured.  It was noted that post 16 pathways would show what was being done; and that Lincolnshire's Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) figures compared well with national figures.  It was queried how children were encouraged to complete the EBacc certificate.  It was highlighted to the Committee that some high performing schools refused, or were un-interested in forcing pupils to undertake the EBacc certificate as they did not feel that this was in the interests of individual pupils.  It was noted that curriculum design and decision making was the responsibility of Head Teachers and Trusts.

RESOLVED

That the Lincolnshire Local Authority School performance data for 2016/17 be received; and that officers note the comments raised by the Committee.