Agenda item - Annual Report on Education Standards 2018/19

Report of the Executive Director for Families, Children & Learning (Copy attached)

RESOLVED –

1.    That the report be noted and that focus across the City on improving outcome for all children and young people, especially those from disadvantaged background be supported by committee.

2.    That changes in the curriculum, assessment and benchmark measures for Key Stages 2 and 4 which meant that there could be some difficulty in establishing trends when not comparing like for like, be noted by committee.  

67.1    The Committee considered a report of the Acting Executive for Families, Children & Learning which sought to provide an analysis of the End of Key Stage results for children and young people for the 2018-2019 academic year and explain some of the interventions implemented and planned in future to address areas of under-achievement. The report was provided by the Head of Education Standards & Achievement, Head of Early Years Strategic Lead for Whole Family Working and the Head of Patcham School.

67.2    The Head of Education Standards & Achievement stated that the report showed how well BHCC were performing and that some good impact was being seen. It was noted that there were improvements across education in a broader sense.

67.3    The Head of Early Years and Strategic Lead for Whole Family Working stated that in regard to early years work had been taking place for a while on disadvantaged. It was stated that rather than just looking at data, efforts were being made to use lead inspectors who were able to deep dive in to schools to look at how the curriculum was working.

67.4    The Head of Patcham School stated that this took place on fortnightly basis and that efforts were being made to look at a changing culture in regard to what a disadvantaged child was and how this was being addressed.

67.5    Councillor Knight referred to paragraph 2.1 and stated that his was missing an equalities impact assessment and if there was a date set for wider working together.

67.6    The Assistant Director - Children & Learning stated that there was a debate on how schools were being pushed forward on how to work together to focus more on early years and wider working.

67.7    The Head of Early Years and Strategic Lead for Whole Family Working stated that particular focus on housing was being focused on with the local troubled families program/

67.8    Councillor Nield stated that it appeared that a thread running throughout this was improving the disadvantaged gap and enquired how much officers were hampered by a lack of funds.

67.9    The Head of Patcham School stated that funding was not specifically the reason that they were unable to close the disadvantaged gap and that indicators for this were road. It was noted that funding elsewhere other than just to the school would be needed.

67.10  The Chair noted the emphasis on cross departmental working.

67.11  Councillor Knight moved a motion to amend the recommendations as below in bold italics:

1.    That the report be noted and that focus across the City on improving outcome for all children and young people, especially those from disadvantaged background be supported by committee.

67.12  Councillor Clare formally seconded the amendment.

67.13  RESOLVED –

1.    That the report be noted and that focus across the City on improving outcome for all children and young people, especially those from disadvantaged background be supported by committee.

2.    That changes in the curriculum, assessment and benchmark measures for Key Stages 2 and 4 which meant that there could be some difficulty in establishing trends when not comparing like for like, be noted by committee.