Agenda item

To receive an annual report from the Chief Executive of Education Leeds on the standards of both primary and high schools in Leeds and which also includes the biannual update on Ofsted inspections and schools causing concern.

The Royal Society’s report entitled, ‘A degree of concern? UK first degrees in science, technology and mathematics’ is also included for Members’ consideration.

Annex 2 in both the Primary School and High School reports within this agenda item are designated exempt under Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4 (1) and (2)

Further to Minute No. 49, 12^th October 2006, Members received a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which introduced two reports from Education Leeds entitled, ‘Annual Report on Standards in Leeds Primary Schools and Biannual Update on Ofsted Inspections and Schools Causing Concern’ and ‘Annual Report on Standards in Leeds High Schools and Biannual Update on Ofsted Inspections and Schools Causing Concern’, both of which had been previously submitted to Executive Board for consideration. Also appended for Members’ information was a report from the Royal Society entitled, ‘A degree of concern? UK first degrees in science, technology and mathematics’ to which Members had referred at a previous meeting. 

Chris Edwards, Chief Executive of Education Leeds and Dirk Gilleard, Deputy Chief Executive of Education Leeds were in attendance to answer Members’ questions.

Having received a brief overview of the report from the Royal Society, Members discussed the issues arising from the current lack of skilled people in the fields of science, technology and mathematics and questioned how the situation could be addressed.

Following Members’ enquiries into the reasons why attainment levels in reading, writing, mathematics and science at Key Stage 1 had declined and the actions which were being taken to address the issue, the Board was advised that such a trend had been partly due to rigorous assessment in Leeds. A discussion relating to the assessment practices undertaken by other Local Authorities then ensued. In conclusion, the Board identified the decline in attainment at Key Stage 1 and the reasons for such a decline as an area for further scrutiny.

The Board made specific reference to the ethnic groups which had experienced a decline in attainment levels at Key Stage 1, enquired about the reasons for such a decline and the actions being taken to address the issue. In response, Members noted that the methods used to address the situation had focussed upon personalised intervention and learned that the reasons for such a decline often related to the length of time an individual had been in the country and the economic background of the young person. The Board then discussed the provision in place to support the variety of languages spoken in schools since the Community Language Team had disbanded.

With regard to the summary of Ofsted reports for both Primary and High schools, Members discussed the ways in which the Board could interface with those schools which had recently taken part in the inspection process and suggested that further consideration could be given to the most practical and appropriate ways in which the Board could liaise with representatives from such schools. Members also proposed that Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector could be invited to a future meeting of the Board in order to discuss the issues arising from the inspection process in Leeds.

The Board then discussed the issues arising from the summary reports for those schools which fell within the ‘Extended Partnerships’ category. Having noted the reasons why certain schools were listed in this category, Members considered the ways in which schools undertaking the Ofsted inspection process could maximise their results.

Following consideration of Annex 2 to both the reports designated as exempt under Access to Information Procedure Rule 10.4(1) and 10.4(2), which were considered in private at the conclusion of this agenda item, it was

RESOLVED –

(a). That the contents of the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That the reasons for the decline in attainment levels in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics and science at Key Stage 1 be identified as a potential area for further scrutiny by the Board;

(c). That further consideration be given to the ways in which the Board can appropriately interface with schools who have recently undergone the Ofsted inspection process, and that Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector be invited to a future meeting of the Board in order to discuss the issues arising from the Ofsted inspection process in Leeds.