Agenda item

To advise the Committee of the provisional outcomes of key stage assessments and examination headlines for the BCP 2018/19 cohort.

The Service Director, Quality and Commissioning, presented a Report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Report provided the provisional outcomes of key stage assessments and the examination headlines for the BCP 2018/19 cohort.

The Committee discussed the Report and comments were made including:

• In response to a concern regarding low results of specific schools, the Committee was advised that this Report detailed the headlines and that the next one would give more details.  The Committee was assured that schools were engaging positively and the Learning Partnership Board (LPB) was driving up standards
• The Service Manager for School and Provider Standards and Support expressed caution about naming individual schools until the final data was available which could show a change in the attainment levels reached
• There was some discussion over Academies and the Local Authorities involvement with them. It was highlighted that whilst schools becoming Academies changed the relationship, it did not diminish the Local Authorities responsibilities and commitment to the children
• In response to a query regarding gender appropriate reading, the Corporate Director, Children’s Services advised that research suggested that a wide range of reading material for all children proved most beneficial
• The Committee discussed KS 4 and 5 provision, and in particular the following areas:

-  Children in Care (CIC), asylum seekers and their accessibility to take GSCE qualifications. 

-  that the KS5 curriculum was currently quite narrow and limited with a decline in design and technology and performing arts subjects

-  The Committee considered different options for a wider breadth of offer across BCP as a whole and were reassured that work was being undertaken with schools to try and address these concerns.

• A Committee Member requested the data relating to teaching English as a foreign language and was advised that this information would be circulated with the minutes
• Gender differences were highlighted with a Member referring to the reference on Page 26 of the Agenda Pack ‘…results being above national for all groups except boys at the end of Year 1’.  The Committee was assured that a task group of the LPB was considering this area to try and improve the outcomes of this group of children.
• In response to a query regarding how to encourage more girls into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects, the Committee was advised that this was an area which Children’s Services championed, through working with local employers to raise the profile of STEM careers, a successful careers and enterprise show at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), raising the profile of good apprenticeships and a good supportive relationship with Microsoft and other companies to facilitate this
• The Committee was informed of the good practice surrounding early years and it was noted that providing early learning support to parents had a positive impact on pupil’s future attainment. The Committee was advised that work continuing in this area.
• In response to a query whether BCP’s statistical neighbour had been identified, the Committee was advised that Children’s Services were still awaiting this matching, but it was felt that BCP would be able to provide some good learning examples to any matched authority
• In response to a query regarding trends, the Committee was advised that these would be considered in the more detailed Report due in March.

The Chairman summarised that the Committee felt positive about the Report and acknowledged that a large amount of work was being undertaken to help future improvement across all Key Stages.  It was noted future scrutiny regarding gender differences may be considered and that a more detailed Report would be provided to the March Committee.

RESOLVED that the report be noted pending a fuller Report at the Committee’s next meeting.