Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Children’s Services which sets out the progress made in relation to the recommendations of the Children and Families Scrutiny Board inquiry into Raising Attainment in Maths and English.

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report which set out the progress made with regard to recommendations arising from the Scrutiny Inquiry into Raising Attainment in Maths and English.

The following information was appended to the report:

-  Appendix 1a – Case studies

-  Appendix 1b – Data, understanding different attainment levels in English

-  Appendix 2 – Further information for Recommendation 2

-  Appendix 5 – Examples of the deployment of National and Local Leaders of Education in Leeds and their impact

-  Appendix 6 – Further information for Recommendation 9

The following representatives were in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments:

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Councillor Jane Dowson, Deputy Executive Member (Education)

-  Paul Brennan, Deputy Director of Children’s Services: Learning

-  Gail Webb, Head of Learning Improvement

-  Kevin Paynes, 11-19 Leadership and Management Lead

-  Sara Harris, School Improvement Advisor

-  Marcia Harding, Closing the Gap Lead.

The key areas of discussion were:

·  Early entry for examinations and the recent change to the Ofsted indicator with regard to multiple entry for examinations.

·  The requirement to continue to work with schools to look at achievement and learning holistically, looking at progress rather than focusing solely on Ofsted key indicators.

·  The timescales for roll out of programmes linked to the work of the Closing the Gap team, which the Scrutiny Board was advised is ongoing.

·  Concern about inadequately judged Academies with large co-cohorts of pupils who experience multiple disadvantage. The Board were reassured that all bar one of the Academies are working with the School Improvement Team, with a developing relationship with the Academy not currently fully engaged. The route of challenge and intervention for all Academies through the Secretary of State for Education.

·  Supplementary schools, the close links with main stream schools and the need to galvanise the supplementary sector, which is in the main voluntary, to support focus on maths and English.

RESOLVED – The Scrutiny Board (Children and Families): 

a) noted the information contained in the progress report in raising attainment in Maths and English.

b) thanked officers for their excellent report and the significant amount of action taken in response to recommendations

c)  recommended that work continues with supplementary schools to support learning in maths and English.