Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Strategic Director People summarising the performance of Schools in Cheshire East across all phases for 2008-9.

The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director People outlining a summary of school performance across schools in Cheshire East for 2008 – 09.  Members were advised that the report provided an early overview of results and more detailed information would be available at a later date which would allow clearer comparisons to be made.

The main headlines were that:

      Key Stage 1 – at all levels results showed either an improvement or the same position as 2007 – 8.  Performance against statistical neighbours (10 other Councils) showed Cheshire East was 7 – 9^th for the indicators of Reading, Writing, Maths and Science, with the national level placement being 26 -39^th;

      Key Stage 2 – in English the Council performed above national averages and was now ranked first for Level 5+ and first equal for Level 4+ against statistical neighbours; in Maths at Level 5+ the Council was first equal and at Level 4+ was second equal among statistical neighbours; in Science at Level 5+ there had been a drop in attainment which was in line with the picture nationally and the Council was third equal while at Level 4+ there had been no change in attainment and the Council was 3^rd against statistical neighbours.  It was noted that 10 pupils had achieved Level 6+ at the end of Key Stage 2;

      Key stage 3 – national assessment tests had been removed and Teacher Assessment data would be available at a later date;

      Key Stage 4 – initial data showed 72% of pupils had achieved 5 or more A* - C grades; 59% of pupils had achieved 5 or more A* - C grades including English and Maths and 96% of pupils had achieved 5 or more A – G grades.  In all cases the results had improved compared with last year;

      Post 16 – 98% of pupils had achieved a pass rate of A – E, 51% had achieved a Pass rate of A – B.

During discussion of the report the following points were made:

      The Committee welcomed the achievements of pupils and teaching staff in Cheshire East;

      Was provision made for pupils who were “Gifted and Talented”?  In response, Members were advised that the Council would maintain a focus on provision for such pupils;

      Schools were encouraged to provide personalised education and Ofsted would look at rates of individual progress among pupils to ensure all pupils made progress at a level appropriate for them;

      The Committee was advised about Fischer Family Trust data that analysed pupils’ actual attainment at Key Stage 1 and from that would then predict attainment at GCSE stage.

RESOLVED:  That the initial results be noted and a further report be submitted to a future meeting when more detailed information is available.