Agenda item

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting an overview of the performance of primary schools at the end of 2009/10.

The Scrutiny Board received and considered the report of the Chief Executive, Education Leeds, submitted to the Council’s Executive Board on 11^th February 2011, which provided an overview of the performance of primary schools at the end of 2009-10, as demonstrated through statutory national testing and teacher assessment.  The report also outlined some of the key challenges and priorities for primary schools.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting the following Executive Members and officers to present the report and respond to Members’ questions and comments:

-  Councillor Blake, Executive Member (Children’s Services)

-  Councillor Dowson, Advisory Member of Executive Board (Learning)

-  Mariana Pexton, Deputy Director of Children’s Services

-  Paul Brennan, Interim Director of School Improvement, Children’s Services

-  Christine Halsall, Head of Primary School Improvement and National Strategies, Children’s Services

-  Brian Tuffin, Head of Secondary School Improvement and National Strategies, Children’s Services.

Christine Halsall, Head of Primary School Improvement and National Strategies, introduced the report and the following areas were discussed:

• The need to improve outcomes and close the gap for the lowest achieving children.
• Inconsistent results from some ethnic minority groups and those children with English as an additional language.
• Concern that there were too many satisfactory performing schools in Leeds and the need for further improvement.
• Confirmation that 20 schools were in the process of appointing head teachers and the strengths and weaknesses associated with this.
• Success of early intervention programmes at KS1.

Members’ questions were then invited and in brief summary, the main areas of discussion were:

• Concern about poor performance against the national average, particularly those with English as an additional language and the uptake of free school meals.  The Scrutiny Board was advised that there was a need to introduce more robust leadership arrangements and provide additional support at some schools.  The development of partnership arrangements was assisting with this.
• Concern about children arriving at school undernourished and the important role of breakfast clubs in addressing this.
• The development of an Action Plan in relation to underperforming schools – a comparative analysis of other authorities had been undertaken and a targeted strategy was now in place.
• Concerns about instability caused by changes in leadership and the need to consider structural changes, particularly the need to explore federation opportunities, e.g. Windmill and Low Road Primary Schools.
• Concern that stress was one of the main contributing factors in the high turnover of head teachers.  It was advised that turnover at inner city schools was higher that at other schools.  The average turnover at inner city schools was 5 years.
• Succession plans were in place to assist with the recruitment of head teachers, e.g. local leaders programme, investing in diversity programme to ensure Deputy Heads, etc, were equipped with the right skills to access senior leadership positions.
• The Scrutiny Board requested a more detailed statistical breakdown of comparator authorities to be included in future reports.
• Support for parents and acknowledgement of recent improvements in relation to healthy eating.
• The low take up of Children’s Centre places in some areas of the city.
• Good practice in relation to child and adolescent mental health.
• The role of clusters in addressing issues in relation to attendance.
• Concerns that School Improvement Partners (SIPs) were no longer a statutory requirement – The Scrutiny Board was advised that LCC was continuing to fund this in part.
• The role of the family in improving outcomes for children, particularly in relation to healthy eating.

RESOLVED – That the report and information appended to the report be noted.

(Councillor Selby joined the meeting at 10.30 am during the consideration of this item.)

(Councillor Lancaster declared a personal interest in this item as LEA Governor at Carr Manor High School.)