Agenda item

This Council believes that schools, teachers and pupils in Leeds are working hard to improve outcomes, and wishes to congratulate everyone who succeeded in their exams this year. However Council believes that there is a fundamental lack of ambition from the Council at a strategic level that is continuing to fail many young learners.

At Key Stage 2 the percentage of pupils in Leeds reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths has improved, but the pace of change is painfully slow, leaving Leeds still lagging behind national averages across many groups and measures.

Vulnerable learners in Leeds fare worse than their peers nationally. The attainment gap at Early Years between disadvantaged pupils in Leeds and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally was 26 percentage points in 2016 and 2017, whilst at Key Stage 2 the gap was even worse. SEN pupils in Leeds performed less well than SEN pupils nationally across all categories in 2016-17.

Council acknowledges the challenges involved in improving performance, but believes that for too long this administration has neglected the education side of children’s services. A Council aiming to be the best in the UK should be looking to exceed, not merely reach, national averages, yet a report card of the administration’s efforts over the last 8 years would surely read “must try harder”.

This Council therefore calls on the Director of Children and Families to bring a report to Executive Board setting out the steps necessary to make urgent and sustained improvement to education standards at all levels in the city.

It was moved by Councillor Cohen, seconded by Councillor Lamb that this Council believes that schools, teachers and pupils in Leeds are working hard to improve outcomes, and wishes to congratulate everyone who succeeded in their exams this year. However Council believes that there is a fundamental lack of ambition from the Council at a strategic level that is continuing to fail many young learners.

At Key Stage 2 the percentage of pupils in Leeds reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths has improved, but the pace of change is painfully slow, leaving Leeds still lagging behind national averages across many groups and measures.

Vulnerable learners in Leeds fare worse than their peers nationally. The attainment gap at Early Years between disadvantaged pupils in Leeds and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally was 26 percentage points in 2016 and 2017, whilst at Key Stage 2 the gap was even worse. SEN pupils in Leeds performed less well than SEN pupils nationally across all categories in 2016-17.

Council acknowledges the challenges involved in improving performance, but believes that for too long this administration has neglected the education side of children’s services. A Council aiming to be the best in the UK should be looking to exceed, not merely reach, national averages, yet a report card of the administration’s efforts over the last 8 years would surely read “must try harder”.

This Council therefore calls on the Director of Children and Families to bring a report to Executive Board setting out the steps necessary to make urgent and sustained improvement to education standards at all levels in the city.

An amendment was moved by Councillor Golton, seconded by Councillor Downes

To amend the motion by:

Inserting an additional paragraph, after “must try harder” at the end of paragraph four, to read:

“This Council is dismayed that despite being urged strongly to do so voluntarily at Executive Bards in April 2017 and June 2018 in discussions on successive Annual Standards Reports, this administration has offered no policy initiatives to halt its worsening performance”

The amended motion would then read:

“This Council believes that schools, teachers and pupils in Leeds are working hard to improve outcomes, and wishes to congratulate everyone who succeeded in their exams this year. However Council believes that there is a fundamental lack of ambition from the Council at a strategic level that is continuing to fail many young learners.

At Key Stage 2 the percentage of pupils in Leeds reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths has improved, but the pace of change is painfully slow, leaving Leeds still lagging behind national averages across many groups and measures.

Vulnerable learners in Leeds fare worse than their peers nationally. The attainment gap at Early Years between disadvantaged pupils in Leeds and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally was 26 percentage points in 2016 and 2017, whilst at Key Stage 2 the gap was even worse. SEN pupils in Leeds performed less well than SEN pupils nationally across all categories in 2016-17.

Council acknowledges the challenges involved in improving performance, but believes that for too long this administration has neglected the education side of children’s services. A Council aiming to be the best in the UK should be looking to exceed, not merely reach, national averages, yet a report card of the administration’s efforts over the last 8 years would surely read “must try harder”.

This Council is dismayed that despite being urged strongly to do so voluntarily at Executive Boards in April 2017 and June 2018 in discussions on successive Annual Standards Reports, this administration has offered no policy initiatives to halt its worsening performance.

This Council therefore calls on the Director of Children and Families to bring a report to Executive Board setting out the steps necessary to make urgent and sustained improvement to education standards at all levels in the city.”

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Pryor, seconded by Councillor Heselwood

Delete all after “This Council…” and replace with:

“…wholeheartedly congratulates all pupils, teachers, staff and schools across Leeds on this years’ exam results.  We understand how much work goes into achieving these results and the stress both pupils and teachers are under.  We are delighted that results in Leeds are continuing to climb. 

Council acknowledges the challenges involved in improving performance, and believes that although we are on the correct trajectory we must continue to work hard to not only close the gap with the national average, but to exceed it – making Leeds the best city to grow up in and giving every child in Leeds the best start in life.

Council further acknowledges the additional challenges facing our pupils and schools, including continued Government funding cuts, increased class sizes and teacher shortages.

Council condemns the many damaging decisions taken by Government but in particular both the continued austerity measures which have seen an increase in child poverty levels and the decision by Government to reduce funding for post-16 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities pupils.

Council therefore calls on Government to:

·  Re-instate the Education Maintenance Allowance

·  Properly fund Special Educational Needs and Disabilities education

·  Adequately fund all schools

·  Invest in the maintenance of school buildings

·  Take urgent steps to reverse the teacher shortage

·  Recognise the impact austerity measures are having on children and in particular in terms of attainment

·  Urgently allocate funding to local authorities to enable them to support vulnerable children and families.

·  Return powers to Local Authorities to open new schools to tackle the school places crisis.”

The amendment in the name of Councillor Golton was declared lost, the second amendment in the name of Councillor Pryor was carried and upon being put to the vote it was

RESOLVED – That this Council wholeheartedly congratulates all pupils, teachers, staff and schools across Leeds on this years’ exam results.  We understand how much work goes into achieving these results and the stress both pupils and teachers are under.  We are delighted that results in Leeds are continuing to climb. 

Council acknowledges the challenges involved in improving performance, and believes that although we are on the correct trajectory we must continue to work hard to not only close the gap with the national average, but to exceed it – making Leeds the best city to grow up in and giving every child in Leeds the best start in life.

Council further acknowledges the additional challenges facing our pupils and schools, including continued Government funding cuts, increased class sizes and teacher shortages.

Council condemns the many damaging decisions taken by Government but in particular both the continued austerity measures which have seen an increase in child poverty levels and the decision by Government to reduce funding for post-16 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities pupils.

Council therefore calls on Government to:

·  Re-instate the Education Maintenance Allowance

·  Properly fund Special Educational Needs and Disabilities education

·  Adequately fund all schools

·  Invest in the maintenance of school buildings

·  Take urgent steps to reverse the teacher shortage

·  Recognise the impact austerity measures are having on children and in particular in terms of attainment

·  Urgently allocate funding to local authorities to enable them to support vulnerable children and families.

·  Return powers to Local Authorities to open new schools to tackle the school places crisis.”