PAPER E

Purpose: For Decision

Committee Date Title

CABINET THURSDAY, 9 JANUARY 2014 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT 2013: RESULTS AND PRIORITIES THE CABINET MEMBER FOR CHILDRENS SERVICES

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. This report summarises the assessment, test and examination data for 2013 for the Isle of Wights children in the early years; those in primary schools; those in secondary schools and students in post-16 education. The report also recommends the establishment of a Schools and Educational Attainment Scrutiny and Support Panel to assist both the Cabinet Members and the Scrutiny Panel members in ensuring that improvements are made and action plans are delivered The report sets out, in detail, information concerning school and student performance at all three statutory educational phases and seeks to provide the necessary information for the Cabinet to consider how these may be judged against Childrens Services priorities for all children, including the most vulnerable. It also outlines the current priorities for schools, settings and the local authority to secure further improvement and greater participation in education for all children and young people but especially the more vulnerable. Although overall the results achieved by children and young people in tests and examinations in 2013 remain below national averages for most measures, there have been some improvements at both Key Stage Two and GCSE. The Cabinet is asked to note the analysis of results, which are presented by stage, in the following report and to approve the priorities for action which arise from that analysis.

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STRATEGIC CONTEXT 6. It is important that children and young people achieve good results in public examinations since these ensure that they have reached a standard which allows them to access the next stage in their education and provide a foundation for employment and higher education. E-1

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Over the past two decades, examination results achieved by children and young people have also become the measure for assessing the success, or otherwise, of the institution which they attend and the health of the national education system as a whole. These three purposes are not entirely contiguous and have lead to a situation where schools may manage the accountability system so that their results show well in league tables without necessarily advantaging their students, for example with qualifications worth multiple GCSE passes or through wholesale early entry in order to bank pass grades. These conflicting purposes have also lead successive governments to introduce new accountability measures, intervene in the content and admissibility of subjects, restrict the type of qualifications and adjust the grade boundaries of examinations in an attempt to ensure there is the necessary rigour. The net result of this is that it is increasingly difficult to compare examination results with previous years because the method of measure or the content and type of the test has altered, either overtly or otherwise. 2013 sees a new baseline measure at the end of early years and at KS2 so comparison with previous years requires careful retrospective analysis in order to demonstrate progression. There are also some new measures at KS4, with more to come in 2015 and 2016. In addition, the alteration in the English GCSE boundary introduced last year has been continued with some evidence that other core subjects have also been subject to unannounced alteration. Nationally Science A*-C grades have dropped by 4% between 2012 and 2013 with clear examples from schools of marks which would have received a grade C in 2012 being awarded a grade D in 2013. These issues, however, affect the country as a whole and comparisons with national data and with statistical neighbours show that, whilst the Isle of Wight school system has adjusted to some of the changes, performance on most measures is significantly lower than national averages and schools will need support in order to improve and to prepare for the changes to come. When schools are not able to anticipate and prepare effectively for change more children fail an examination which they and their teachers expected they would pass. This is the first year that all young people have been required to remain in education or training until the age of 17, rising to 18 in 2015.

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KEY ISSUES 11. The Isle of Wights children and young people, overall, underperform in examinations and tests when compared with standards nationally and standards in places most like the Isle of Wight (Statistical Neighbours). In 2013 there are some areas of strength in the early years but scores in literacy and communication are below average which has implications for the ability of young children to make good progress when they start school. In the primary years, the performance at the higher level at both Key Stage One and Key Stage Two are significantly lower than national averages and the attainment of higher level passes at GCSE and at A Level are also lower than average. GCSE performance has improved overall from 2012 to 2013 but remains below national average. The progress made by children in both the primary and secondary phase is not sufficient to bring about the results which young people need to be successful. Insufficient numbers of children make nationally expected progress and schools need to E-2

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target better than expected progress in order to raise overall attainment levels on the Isle of Wight. 14. Pupil Premium and the focus on vulnerable groups mean that those eligible for free school meals, those in care and children from service families will rightly be the subject of particular scrutiny by Ofsted. The gap in the performance of most vulnerable groups of children and young people on the Isle of Wight is similar, or in some cases, slightly smaller than national averages. However, this is because the performance of children who live in relative poverty and those who do not, are both below national averages and there is still much to do to secure better outcomes for these children, particularly at 16 and beyond. Similarly, there is increasing pressure upon schools which perform below expectations either due to examination performance being below national floor standards or because they are in an Ofsted category of concern. Whilst only one school on the Isle of Wight is currently below the national floor standard for headline measures, a number of schools have progress below national expectations or are the subject of scrutiny due to their Ofsted category. Currently 64% of schools on the Isle of Wight are judged by Ofsted to be good or better against a national average of 78%. Attendance remains substantially lower on the Isle of Wight than national averages, this is particularly acute during the secondary phase. Unless schools are able to secure improved attendance they will be unlikely to achieve the necessary gains in performance for all children. New accountability measures for secondary schools are being introduced in 2016 which will affect children who are currently in year 9. In addition to 5+A*-C (including English and mathematics) schools will also be judged against: the average grade for each child in their best 8 subjects; the value added (VA) for those eight subjects; the A*-C percentage in English and in mathematics; the English Baccalaureate percentage; and the destinations of their students at 16. Some of these changes will begin to take effect in 2014 with only a prescribed range of subjects being counted and only one entry for any examination counting in the schools figures Despite some improved results in 2013, further improvement is needed and always will be. In summary, more work is needed to increase the percentage of children who achieve a good level of development at the end of the early years phase, to improve the performance of vulnerable groups so that they achieve good outcomes, to improve the rates of progress for all children so that prior attainment is built upon at each key stage and to ensure that all schools achieve results which take them above current and anticipated national benchmarks. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum framework has been revised and implementation began in September 2012. The revised framework includes a completely new assessment framework and a new outcome measure, for children who are assessed at the end of Year R. The new outcome measure is called a Good Level of Development (GLD) and this is defined as a child who has achieved at least the expected level in all the prime areas of learning (personal, social and emotional development, physical development and communication and language) and in literacy and mathematics. The second measure, the gap measurement, is the percentage difference between the median score for all children and the mean of the bottom 20%.

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EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE THE RESULTS 19.

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On the Isle of Wight, the percentage of children achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) in 2013 is 45% compared to a National figure of 52%. This is also below the statistical neighbour average of 51%. Scores across all areas of learning within the new measures show that childrens physical and personal, social and emotional development are areas of strength with 71% of children attaining a GLD in personal, social and emotional development, 78% in physical development. 67% of children attained a GLD in communication and language, 55% in literacy and 62% in mathematics. However, all of these figures are lower than the national and statistical neighbour averages. The gap between the median score for all children and the mean of the bottom 20% is 39% compared to the national attainment gap of 37%. This is larger than the gap amongst statistical neighbours. The GLD score for children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) is 34% compared to a National figure of 36%. The percentage of children living in Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) achieving a GLD is 38% compared to the national LSOA figure of 44%. The overall achievement of children with English as an additional language achieving a GLD at 17 %, which is lower than the national figure for similar groups of children. Early Years officers on the Isle of White have been working with Hampshire colleagues to support improved outcomes within the early years foundation stage (EYFS). This has included the development of a strategic plan which highlights working with schools to enhance knowledge and understanding of the EYFS, in particular provide support in making accurate assessments of childrens performance. Raise attainment and continue to close the gap in outcomes for young children by: Working with schools and early years education providers to implement evidence based approaches to improving childrens speech and language, early literacy, numeracy and personal social and emotional development. Offer training and advice to schools and providers so that they are well equipped to deliver early years education for children who may be at risk of poor outcomes Strengthen knowledge and understanding of EYFS in childrens centres so that they implement programmes to reflect local priorities for childrens development

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EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE FUTURE PRIORITIES 26.

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Improve the quality of teaching and learning by: Focusing support on the principles of EYFS teaching and learning in schools Providing specific training and advice to meet the needs of children 0-3 in early years provision Strengthening understanding of child development for teachers who are new to Year R

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Support changes to the EYFS curriculum by: Working with year R teachers and Early Years Education (EYE) practitioners to make consistent and accurate judgements when assessing childrens development Strengthening information sharing at transition points

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PRIMARY YEARS THE RESULTS 29. The attainment of 7 year olds at the end of Key Stage One (KS1) is currently measured by teacher assessment against the levels of the National Curriculum in speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics and science. Level 2 is regarded as the national expectation but that level is divided into three sub-levels: 2A, 2B and 2C (in descending order of competence). Level 3 is attained by more able children. Results for 7 year olds nationally have increased steadily over the past three years. In 2013 speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics and science increased again with 89%, 89%, 85%, 91% and 90% achieving level 2 respectively and 23%, 29%, 15%, 23% and 22% achieving level 3. In 2013, Isle of Wight children achieved broadly average levels in all areas of assessment at KS1 and the attainment remains broadly in line with the national average. On the Isle of Wight the proportion achieving level 2 in speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics and science was 91%, 88%, 84%, 91% and 92% respectively with 16%, 25%, 12%, 17% and 14% achieving level 3. The picture in all areas is one where Isle of Wight children continue to achieve broadly in line with children nationally and when compared with statistical neighbours at level 2 but performance at level 3 is below national averages and below the attainment of higher ability children in statistical neighbour authorities. Isle of Wight 6 year olds (the end of Year 1) have performed significantly better in the phonics tests in 2013 than they did in 2012, when it was introduced. This year 63% of children achieved the expected standard in The Isle of Wight, in comparison to 68% nationally. This is a 15% increase on the 2012 results. Those who did not achieve the expected outcome at 6 had the opportunity to sit the test again at the end of Year 2. On The Isle of Wight 76% of 7 year olds who sat the phonics test in 2013 achieved the expected standard, compared to 85% nationally. At Key Stage 1, the percentage of children from black and minority ethnic (BME) and Traveller groups achieving Level 2 or above in speaking and listening was 87%, in reading 85%, in writing 83%, in mathematics 92% and in science 90%. At the end of Key Stage Two, Level 4 has been the national expectation in English, mathematics and science for 11 year olds (Year 6). Until last year, the national measures focussed on the percentage of children reaching level 4 and above separately in English and in mathematics and the important measure of those reaching that level in both English and mathematics. However, from 2013 the expectation is that children attain L4 or better in mathematics and in reading and writing separately. This is a more demanding measure because the mastery of writing is the most challenging for children. There has also been the introduction of a Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (GPS) Test for the first time this year. Girls outperformed boys in reading, writing and in GPS on the Isle of Wight. This boy/girl gap, particularly in writing, remains a national issue and it is mirrored at every key stage, including at A Level. The Isle of Wight's children do slightly less well overall when compared to children across England and in places most like the Isle of Wight (Statistical Neighbours). 83% of the Isle of Wights 11 year olds achieved a L4+ in reading against the national average of 85% and 82% achieved this measure in writing against a national average of 83%. The percentage of 11 year olds achieving the higher level 5 for reading in the Isle of Wight was also slightly below national averages at 42% against 44% nationally. Level 5 writing results in the Isle of Wight were 26% and nationally 30%. E-5

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Standards in mathematics continue to be below national averages, particularly at the higher level. 82% reached the expected level (Level 4) and 33% of children reached level 5 against national averages of 84% and 41%.The percentage of children achieving in the important measure of Level 4+ in reading, writing and mathematics combined was 71% which is also lower than the 75% achieving this nationally and amongst statistical neighbours where the average attainment was 74%. 16% of children achieved the higher standard of level 5+ in reading writing and mathematics compared to 21% nationally and a statistical neighbour average of 20%. A measure of the effectiveness of schools, is the progress that children make in the four years from ages 7 to 11, Key Stage One to Key Stage Two. The expected progress for all children is two levels (e.g. level 2 to level 4). In the Isle of Wight the proportion of children making expected progress in 2013 was 79% in reading, 87% in writing and 78% in mathematics. This compares to National figures of 88%, 91% and 88% and statistical neighbour figures of 88%, 91% and 87%. In 2013 the expectations for primary school attainment and achievement changed. The new floor standard is that at least 60% of pupils must reach level 4+ in reading, writing and mathematics combined and this floor is set to rise to 65% in 2014. However, three additional measures are applied to assess whether a school is below the floor, the percentage of children making two levels of progress in reading, two levels of progress in writing and two levels of progress in mathematics. In 2013, 4 out of 39 Isle of Wight schools achieved below 60% L4+ reading, writing and mathematics but 3 of these are taken above the floor by progress above the national median on one or more measure leaving 1 school (3%) below the floor at the current time. In 2013 the proportion of children eligible for free school meals achieving level 4 in reading, writing and mathematics on the Isle of Wight was 58%, 78% of those who were not eligible for free school meals achieved the same measure resulting in a gap of 20% in comparison with a national gap of 17%. Of the children who had been in care for 12 months or more at the end of Key Stage 25% achieved level 4+ in reading, 75% in writing and 75% in mathematics with 25% achieving L4+ in all three, the national expectation. However, the attainment of children in care remains below their peers. The LA is working with schools to improve outcomes and this work will include development of personal education planning guidance and monitoring by LA officers so that schools better identify and meet the needs of children. Training and development for designated teachers, school leadership teams and individual teachers will be implemented. At Key Stage 2, the percentage of children from BME and Traveller groups achieving Level 4 and above in reading, writing and mathematics in 2013 was 68% compared to 73% nationally. Raise attainment and continue to close the gap in outcomes for young children by: Supporting the Isle of Wights most vulnerable children by ensuring that schools use the Pupil Premium to support children in overcoming barriers to learning, particularly focussing on early help for language, literacy and numeracy. Supporting schools to identify underperformance early and intervene decisively with all pupils but particularly with those who have failed to make adequate progress in the previous Key Stage, including ensuring SENCos have adequate support and training to be effective. E-6

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PRIMARY YEARS FUTURE PRIORITIES 41.

Increasing the number of schools that are graded by Ofsted as at least Good and intervening robustly in Isle of Wight schools which are at risk of falling below 65% in reading, writing and mathematics combined or where progress is inadequate. Promoting and strengthening teacher subject knowledge and expertise especially in the core subjects of English and mathematics to ensure that all pupils make more than expected progress across the primary phase Key Stages Supporting the development of primary science and language teaching so that more children make good early progress these subject areas in preparation for secondary school and are better prepared to access English Baccalaureate subjects at KS4 Systematically identifying and building on the interventions which have been successful in primary schools in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight and ensuring that these are disseminated widely Building upon local partnerships between schools to promote resilience and to develop self-esteem. Working with primary school leaders and teaching schools to understand and plan for the proposed changes to the content, delivery and assessment of the curriculum. Supporting Primary schools in the use of phonics in the teaching of reading so that as many children as possible reach the expectations of reading competence by the age of 6 and go on to be confident readers.

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Improve the quality of teaching and learning by:

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Support changes to the primary curriculum and assessment regime by:

SECONDARY YEARS THE RESULTS 44. There are six secondary schools in The Isle of Wight of which 2 are currently sponsored academies. The results of all of these schools are combined in the analysis which follows. Due to the changes from middle and upper schools to secondary schools there are only results for the existing schools for the past two years making trend analysis for different types of schools unreliable. KS3 results have become irrelevant except as a means of internally monitoring progress for individual schools due to the different lengths of Key Stage 3 and the way in which schools use the test materials. It has been announced that KS3 test results will not be collected from 2014. The measurement of attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 has focused increasingly on one key indicator, the achievement of five or more GCSEs at A*- C grades including English and mathematics. However, the current and previous government have tried various mechanisms to engineer this single measure to enable it to show three different things, the achievement of children, the performance of schools and national standards. The provisional performance of 16 year olds on The Isle of Wight in 2013 based on this measure is currently 49% which is an improvement from 45% in 2012 but still significantly below the national figure for 2013 of 60%. Both of these figures have already altered since initial results in August and they are subject to further adjustment between E-7

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the first statistical release in October and the final figures in January which take account of all appeals and re-marks. 48. Over recent years, the performance of pupils at 16 has improved as schools have become more systematic at tracking student progress and responding, through early intervention, to avert failure. Schools are also held to account through a number of mechanisms for the success of their students and have become far more efficient at preparing them for examinations. 2013 is the final year where modular opportunities are available and the last year when schools can use retakes to improve their performance. New accountability measures have also been confirmed for 2016 which will see the end of many of the measures currently recognised. The attainment of five or more GCSE grades of C or above at GCSE, not necessarily inclusive of English and mathematics, still has currency but is no longer regarded as the gold standard that the DfE uses to measure and compare schools. In 2013 68% of Isle of Wight students achieved this benchmark in comparison with 83% nationally. In 2013 10% of Isle of Wight pupils gained a C or better in the suite of examinations relevant for the English Baccalaureate, this is the same as in 2012 and is lower than the national average of 23%. The significant increase nationally in the proportion of pupils taking the English Baccalaureate, and therefore achieving it, coincides with the first year where schools have been able to plan for students to choose the appropriate options, following the introduction of the measure in 2010. Authorities are also compared to other authorities which have statistically similar populations. A notional group of 11 such authorities is constructed on an annual basis with the 6th placed authority representing the average performance. The Isle of Wights performance placed it 11th out of 11 in the 2013 group of statistical neighbour authorities. At Key Stage 4, 57% of pupils from BME groups gained 5 or more A*-C grades including English and mathematics at GCSE, compared with 60% in 2012. In 2013 there were 17 pupils who at the end of year 11 had been in care for 12 months or more. Of these children 6% achieved five A*-C GCSE passes including English and mathematics, down from 15% in 2012. 29% of this cohort attained 5+A*-G (EM), an important indicator of continued engagement in education. Both nationally and on The Isle of Wight, children and young people in relative poverty perform less well in examined outcomes than those who are not. In Isle of Wight secondary schools, the gap in attainment between those young people eligible for FSM and those who are not is 25% (5 A*-C (EM). Whilst this is in line with the national gap, only 29% of the children on the Isle of Wight who are eligible for free school meals achieved 5+A*-C (EM) in comparison with 41% nationally. The coalition government introduced a new floor standard which, from 2012, required at least 40% of students to achieve 5+ A*-C GCSE grades including English and mathematics. This is expected to rise to 50% in the near future. In The Isle of Wight in 2013 there were no schools below this benchmark. The additional measure against which the performance of school is judged is the percentage of students who make at least thee levels of progress (3LP) between the end of Key Stage 2 and the end of Key Stage 4 (ages 11-16). A school where performance is above the national median for 3LP in either English or mathematics, it is not considered to be below the floor even if fewer than 40% of its pupils attain 5+A*-C (EM). Whilst no school is below floor based on provisional data, 5 schools had progress which was below E-8

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the national median for both English and mathematics, making them vulnerable to the rising floor standard. 57. On the Isle of Wight, 61% of pupils made 3LP or better in English which places it 11th in the group of statistical neighbours and below the national average of 70%. In mathematics, 64% of pupils made expected progress which is below the national average of 71% and places The Isle of Wight 11th in its group of statistical neighbours. In 2013 8% of the pupils with special educational needs (SEN) attending an Isle of Wight maintained school gained 5+A*-C GCSE passes including both English and mathematics, this is a 1% increase from 2012. However, 20% of SEN pupils achieved an A*-C pass in maths but only 15% achieved a top grade in English.

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SECONDARY YEARS FUTURE PRIORITIES 59. The local authority and its School Improvement Service will support those schools which need it most whilst taking account of the need to engage with academy trusts in order to improve outcomes at the end of Key Stage Four on the isle of Wight. There are, in summary, some key priorities which are to: Intervene in schools at risk of falling below the government benchmark of 50% of pupils gaining 5 A* - C at GCSE including English and mathematics and challenge all schools to improve until results are at least in line with national averages. Provide appropriate challenge and support for schools and sponsoring trusts to ensure that all secondary schools provide a good or better standard of education for children and young people on the Isle of Wight, as judged by Ofsted. Using the information from LA visits to schools to provide focussed support and challenge so that schools intervene in the underperformance of disadvantaged children by concentrating on high quality teaching, evaluating the impact of interventions, raising the expectations of teachers and tackling the non-attendance of pupils eligible for free school meals. Maximise the take-up of free school meals and, therefore, the Pupil Premium by schools and make sure they learn from best practice in using this funding to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children, children in care and those from service families so that the gap between the attainment of those young people and the rest narrows whilst attainment for all pupils improves. Support secondary schools to prepare for the curriculum and accountability reforms which have been the subject of consultation during 2012 and are being implemented from September 2013 onwards and for the changes in GCSE examinations from 2015. Agree and implement whole system and specific school solutions so that the attendance and attainment of children and young people improves significantly. Ensure that schools have the highest expectations of their pupils and target 4 levels of progress for all, with a particular focus on those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with high prior attainment.

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Continue to promote good behaviour in schools which supports high attainment so that all Isle of Wight secondary schools have an Ofsted rating of good or outstanding for this measure. Challenge schools to reduce persistent absence where it is high and in particular, support them in tracking the attendance of vulnerable pupils and intervening where appropriate to ensure full attendance. Ensure that young people at the age of 16 have the appropriate qualifications, aspirations and opportunities so that they all progress onto post-16 education or training to prepare them for economic wellbeing in adulthood. Ensure that the post-16 offer is of high quality, affordable and offers the right opportunities for post-16 students on the Isle of Wight.

POST-16 HEADLINE INFORMATION 60. The Local Authority has statutory duties relating to support for participation and sufficiency of provision, post 16. As strategic commissioner it is the LAs role to champion the needs of young people, working with the post 16 provider network to ensure provision is of high quality and meets need. In addition, there is a statutory duty for the planning of provision for young people aged 16-24 with special educational needs and learning difficulties and/or disabilities. From September 2013 young people are under a duty to participate in formal education or training until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17. At the end of June 2013, participation by 16 and 17 year olds in education and training, including employment with training, was 89%. This was in line with regional and national averages. The duty to participate extends to the 18th birthday in 2015. Linked to this, all young people are guaranteed and offer of a place in education or training at 16 and 17. Known as the September Guarantee, 96% of Isle of Wight 16 and 17 year olds received a formal offer of education or training for 2013, which is in line with last years figure. For the 2012/2013 academic year, 3,512 post-16 places were funded for 16-18 year olds on the Isle of Wight by the EFA. Of these, 1,971 (56%) are in General FE at the Isle of Wight College, 1,183 (34%) are in the six school sixth forms, 59 (2%) in the two special schools which cater for the appropriate age group and 299 (9%) are in the two Independent Training Providers. These figures exclude funded Apprenticeships (see 10.8). In addition to the above 82 learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LLDD) were placed within specialist placements in 2012/13, 81 locally and 1 out of area. The Isle of Wight Council is responsible for the assessment of these young people and the planning of their placement, which is then funded by the EFA directly. The value of this provision in2012/13 was 3.8m, which includes a contribution of approx. 0.1m (2.6%) from the Isle of Wight Adult Services and the NHS towards the social care costs. The average local specialist placement cost was 30,000 compared to 90,000 for an independent specialist placement. The Island operates a local first policy, which aims to place a higher proportion of LLDD young people locally by developing local specialist programme capacity. 0.2m capital was secured in 2012/13 from the EFA to support the development of more local specialist placements at the Isle of Wight College. Further bids will be placed in 2013/14 Following the partnership arrangement with Hampshire County Council on 1 July 2013, Hampshire collected provisional Level 3 results (A Level and equivalent) from all schools E - 10

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and the IW College on results day. The data was provided on a voluntary basis which allows for some headline information to be reported. 65. In October 2013, DfE published validated Level 3 outcomes for 2012/13. It showed that headline performance at Level 3 (2 A-Levels of equivalent) is above the national average with 91% of students achieving a pass on the island compared to 90% nationally. The published figure is six percentage points below the provisional position report to the Council, and a 2 percentage points decline on 2012. This decline follows the national trend with a fall in the reported national pass rate from 93% to 90%. The high grades pass rate (grades A/A*) for the island in 2013 stands at17%. This is the same as last year and remains below the national figure which has held at 23%. These figures relate to all state funded provision, including further education In 2012/13, 890 people started an Apprenticeship on the Isle of Wight, including 310 aged 16-18. 475 people completed an Apprenticeship in this same year, including 167 16-18 year olds. The success rate for apprenticeships is provided by the Skills Funding Agency. Full year data is currently only available for 2011/12. This shows that at 80%, the performance by island Apprentices was higher than SE regional and national averages of 76% and 74% respectively. The diversity and complexity of post 16 education makes it challenging to report on the performance of all young people who follow qualifications at all levels on the island. The headline result at Level 3 is now marginally above the national average, although higher level performance is still a cause for concern. Performance of the islands vocational post 16 sector is strong, however and this report would acknowledge the success of all young people following all post 16 programmes, Academic and Vocational alike. The Education Funding Agency (DfE) has lead responsibility for the performance management of School Sixth Forms and the Skills Funding Agency (BIS) for General FE Colleges. The agencies apply a Minimum Levels of Performance (MLP) process on the basis of full year validated data, available for 2012/13 early in the new year. This will assess all provision against nationally set thresholds and, where there is underperformance, can lead to the issuing of a formal Notice to Improve. Local Authorities are engaged in this process where providers are identified as at risk or underperforming. Three of the secondary school providers are currently in special measures and one has serious weaknesses, there are however, currently no notices applying to providers on the Isle of Wight (September 2013). CONSULTATION 70. The priorities listed in paragraph 72 arise from those already agreed with the DfE and Ofsted and have been discussed with school leaders on the Isle of Wight. To assist the Cabinet Member in ensuring the priorities summarised in paragraph 72 are delivered, and to assist the scrutiny, by elected members, of the delivery, it is proposed that a Schools and Educational Attainment Scrutiny and Support Panel be established with the terms of reference as set out in Appendix 1. FINANCIAL / BUDGET IMPLICATIONS 71. There are no additional financial burdens which result directly from the recommendations in this report which provide additional detail about the activity which will be carried out within funding which has already been allocated to school improvement activity. The local authority needs to be clear how it deploys its resource to support the improvement of E - 11

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examination and test results for all and to close the gap for the most vulnerable in Isle of Wight schools. It also needs to be cognisant of the cost of monitoring the performance of children in academies and the need to charge appropriately for intervention and support. OUTLINE OF PRIORITIES AND OPTIONS 72. The priorities for school improvement identified in this report build upon those agreed with the DfE and presented to Cabinet in the Education Improvement Strategy, and the recent action plan submitted to Ofsted. In addition the performances at different Key Stages in Isle of Wight schools identified in the body of this report suggest clear areas to focus upon. These can be summarised as follows: Raise attainment for all children whilst continuing to close the attainment gap for the most vulnerable. Lead on the delivery of evidence-based improvement programmes which have proven impact on outcomes for children and young people. Promote and strengthen teacher skills, knowledge and expertise through targeted professional development and through partnerships with teaching schools and other agencies Provide support for the development of effective practice and ensure that such practice is shared across the education system on the Isle of Wight. Support schools and settings in preparing for and implementing the new National Curriculum and the reforms to examinations and assessment. Ensure that schools maximise the take up of FSM and use the Pupil Premium effectively to promote higher attainment and more rapid progress for children on free school meals, looked after children and children from service families. Support schools to identify underperformance early and intervene effectively for children at risk of underperformance Challenge schools where examination results and rates of progress are poor, particularly when these are below national benchmarks for outcomes or for progress. Promote high attendance in Isle of Wight schools, ensuring agreed practices are being followed and providing appropriate challenge where necessary. Focus on improving the progress children make in Isle of Wight schools, especially during the secondary phase so that the percentage of those making four levels of progress increases in line with targets. Challenge schools to be at least good in Ofsted terms and initiate appropriate and effective interventions where schools do not improve. Ensure that pupils at 16 have sufficient and appropriate high-quality destinations to pursue their education or training on the Isle of Wight. Ensure that the school improvement service is responsive and flexible with sufficient capacity to challenge schools and support their improvement

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This report summarises 2013 results. The priorities that arise from them relate to the Education Improvement Strategy approved by the Cabinet. The Cabinet has the option E - 12

not to endorse the priorities for improving the educational outcomes for all children and closing the gap for the most vulnerable as listed above. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS 74. The Duty to promote high standards in primary and secondary education, originates from the 1996 Act. This provision was amended in the 2006 Act to include, .and the fulfilment of potential. The 2006 Act spells out the responsibility of the LA to promote high standards; ensure fair access and promote the fulfilment of every childs educational potential. This duty applies to children of compulsory school age and those of any age (up to 20) who are registered as pupils at maintained schools. It is the 2006 Act which also introduces the inspection of LA statutory functions by Ofsted. The Framework for Inspection of Local Authority Arrangements for Supporting School Improvement, based upon sections 135 and 136 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, was published in May 2013. The LA duty to write an action plan following an unsatisfactory Ofsted inspection had already been introduced in the 2005 Education Act.

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EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY 76. Improved educational outcomes benefit all groups but have the most marked impact upon the life chances of the most vulnerable. Outcomes are assessed specifically against the needs of a range of vulnerable groups and the performance of children with special educational needs, those from minority ethnic backgrounds, those living in relative poverty and children in the care of the local authority are reported upon in this paper.

SECTION 17 CRIME AND DISORDER ACT 1998 77. The attainment of better educational outcomes has a direct impact upon future economic wellbeing and, therefore, upon potential involve in criminal activity. Success at school promotes self-esteem, attendance and good behaviour leading to greater community cohesion, adult independence and active citizenship.

RISK MANAGEMENT 78. A clear understanding of examination results and priorities for improving them is necessary in order to improve school performance of the Isle of Wight and mitigate against poor educational outcomes for children and young people.

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RECOMMENDATION 79. 80. 81. That the Cabinet notes the assessment, test and examination results for 2013 That the Cabinet endorses the priorities for improving the educational outcomes for all children and closing the gap for the most vulnerable as listed in paragraph 72 . That the Cabinet supports the distribution of this paper to schools, colleges and settings on the Isle of Wight in order to alert then to the summary outcomes from 2013 tests and examinations and the future priorities which arise from them. That the Cabinet approves the proposal from the Cabinet Member for Childrens Services that a Schools and Educational Attainment Scrutiny and Support Panel be established.

82.

APPENDICES ATTACHED 83. APPENDIX - Draft Terms of Reference for proposed Schools and Educational Attainment Scrutiny and Support Panel.

BACKGROUND PAPERS 84. Education Improvement Strategy Improving Education on the Isle of Wight. (Cabinet Paper, 9 January 2014)

Contact Point - Melanie Saunders (County Manager, Educational Improvement) 01962 846364 e-mail melanie.saunders@iow.gov.uk

JOHN COUGHLAN Director of Childrens Services

COUNCILLOR RICHARD PRIEST Cabinet Member for Childrens Services

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