Agenda item

To scrutinise the latest Key Stage 4 Results.

Ed Pryce (Assistant Director, EAS) delivered a presentation, introduced the report, and answered the members’ questions with Will McLean.

Members’ Questions:

·        What does it mean for pupils to have base qualifications and how does it affect their life outcomes?

Base qualifications help pupils access the next level of education, such as FE and HE, and are increasingly required for many jobs. Achieving qualifications can improve attendance and engagement, leading to better life outcomes.

·        Are we limiting schools by grouping them in families, and how does this affect the support for pupils attaining the lowest third results?

Grouping schools in families allows for comparison and support, but schools also look at other families and focus on individual learners. The aim is to hold leaders accountable and ensure school improvement processes are in place.

·        How do we know that the Welsh Government's expectations are good enough for pupils in Wales and Monmouthshire, and how can we change the lower attainment in Wales compared to the UK?

Welsh Government uses international tests like Pisa to compare performance. There are challenges in comparing with other UK countries due to different assessment systems, but qualifications are recognized by UK universities.

·        What measures are being done for the lowest third attainment?

Measures for the lowest third attainment include improving attendance, addressing deficits, and ensuring the curriculum is appropriate. Schools focus on individual needs and support through pupil deprivation grants.

·        Does relying solely on PISA for international comparisons of young people's performance, and only providing data specific to Wales, limits the ability to confidently ensure that young learners are receiving the best opportunities globally, not just within Wales?

There are challenges in comparing educational performance across borders, particularly between England and Wales, due to differences in grading systems. We need to get to a position of confidence by the end of statutory education, where students' success in vocational or academic paths is determined by employers or standardised exams like A-levels, which are comparable across the UK. Tools like the Alps system help to model prior attainment and A-level performance to add value to specific subject areas. The border counties are in a unique position and there is a need to consider various educational opportunities, such as those in nearby regions like Bristol. Despite the lack of direct comparability, the focus remains on supporting students in making informed choices and maximising their potential.

·        Are there any obvious reasons for the slight difference in Caldicot's performance, and are recent difficulties improving?

The answers for Caldicot's performance are for the governing body of Caldicot to address, and it is not appropriate to delve into individual school diagnostics in this report.

·        Is there any difference expected in the comparisons as a result of the new curriculum coming through the schools?

Differences are expected due to the new curriculum, which will increase the variety and differentiation of provision available to learners. The frameworks for accountability are still being developed.

·        Are deficits linked to behaviour, and are we working towards emotionally healthy schools and social and emotional learning and development?

Deficits can be linked to behaviour, and schools focus on attendance, well-being, attitudes to learning, and behaviour. There is significant work on supporting learners' emotional health and development.

·        How are you going to use this data with governors, teachers, parents, and pupils?

Data is shared with governors through reports and training sessions. Schools provide simplified digests of the information to their governing bodies, which can be shared in parental reports.

·        Are any other – more qualitative – measures taken e.g. the happiness index, parent/pupil satisfaction?

It is certainly important to understand the overall development of young adults beyond academic qualifications. Schools use various commercially available systems to gather feedback on students' feelings and attitudes, though this data is typically used at the school level and not aggregated upwards. Additionally, the Schools Health Research Network (SHRN) led by Cardiff University provides significant quantitative data on student well-being, involving all schools. – ACTION: to bring a report to the committee explaining this data and its insights

·        Can true parity be achieved between male and female students?

Achieving true parity between male and female students might be challenging. However, the new curriculum and a wider range of qualifications could provide more flexibility, allowing learners to choose qualifications that highlight their strengths. This approach may create more opportunities for parity, but it remains difficult to predict the outcome.

·        Have the weighted formula for free school meals families and the Index of Multiple Deprivation been challenged or reviewed for fairness?

The weighted formula for free school meals families and the Index of Multiple Deprivation have been determined and reviewed by Welsh government statisticians. The data is refreshed regularly, with the last update in 2024 and future updates planned every three years. However, there is no current work being undertaken to specifically review the fairness of the model.

·        Was this data shared with Estyn, and how does it relate to recent inspections at, for example, Caldicot?

Estyn has seen the data, along with a broader range of data. They do not give this data more weight than other data. During inspections, Estyn focuses more on firsthand observations of teaching quality, learning, and student progress, rather than second-hand data like qualifications data. Three of our secondary schools have had visits this academic year. In terms of the recommendations that were identified by Estyn at Caldicot, the school has to complete what is called a post-inspection action plan and the local authority also has to complete a statement of action. So there is a huge amount of resource and support going towards Caldicot’s improvement journey.

·        How confident are we that the current improvement strategies are sustainable, especially given issues with school finances?

It is difficult to ever be fully satisfied with improvement strategies, as there is always room for betterment. However, the outcomes for 2024, which reset to 2019 levels, were broadly pleasing. There is confidence in the current teaching and learning developments in schools, and the local authority believes there is still room for improvement. Financial issues are recognised as a risk, but the focus remains on maintaining a secure and effective workforce and ensuring schools use their resources efficiently. Despite financial pressures, the commitment to supporting students and improving performance remains strong.

·        What mitigation strategies will be put in place, given teachers’ concerns about the new curriculum coming in in September?

The new curriculum starting in September will make it difficult to maintain trending comparisons of performance. While this year's exams will be comparable to those from 2023 and 2024, the changes will affect comparisons from 2025 onwards. This will present challenges in understanding performance trends, but the current exams will still provide some continuity for comparison.

·        How can teachers use this information in individual schools to improve performance?

Teachers use detailed data within schools to improve teaching and learning practices. The data helps in generating conversations with individual learners and improving future cohorts.

·        Are there any plans to have parents' meetings with year 10 and year 11 parents and pupils to help them understand this data?

Schools are encouraged to share performance data in their annual governance report to parents, which is a legal requirement. This helps parents understand the data and its implications.

·        Are we contacting the press to ensure they understand this data and avoid any misleading headlines?

The data is publicly available online on the Welsh Government's "My Local School" website, ensuring transparency and accessibility for the press and public.

·        Are we encouraging teachers to become GCSE examiners to help improve performance?

Encouraging teachers to become GCSE examiners is a valuable suggestion, as it can provide insights into the examination process and improve teaching strategies.

·        Trying to close the gender gap can be frustrating, as measures to improve males can lead to improvement in females as well, so both improve but a gap remains. Is that reflected in the national trends?

Yes, that can be an unintended consequence, but a positive consequence, of interventions that can not lead to closing a gap – but to improve the performance of both groups is positive.

·        Is the number of pupils leaving with no qualifications not statistically relevant as the numbers are so low?

The number of pupils leaving with no qualifications is indeed very small. However, the focus is not on the numbers themselves but on the detailed conversations that take place in each school between the school improvement partner and the head teacher. These discussions involve understanding each learner's background, what has been done to support them, the positives, and what can be improved for future learners in similar situations. The quality of these conversations is what truly matters.

·        How does the language of "expectation of outcomes" influence schools, particularly in terms of management and teaching staff? Could this language condition attitudes towards the potential outcomes and abilities of young people, potentially being detrimental to them?

It is important to maintain high expectations for all learners to raise attainment levels. The Education Endowment Foundation's work highlights that having high expectations is crucial, especially for learners eligible for free school meals. The RADI (Raising the Attainment of Disadvantaged Youngsters) approach, used effectively in some schools, advocates for a blind approach where all learners are treated with the same high expectations, setting aside preconceived ideas about their potential achievements. There is a need to continue promoting high expectations to ensure learners are not limited by perceived restrictions. The concern is not about high expectations but rather the detrimental impact of low expectations based on grouping.

Chair’s Conclusion:

The Chair thanked the officers and Cabinet Member for the report, the thorough explanation of it, and the responses to the committee’s questions. On behalf of the committee, the Chair recognised and expressed appreciation for all of the fantastic work going on in Monmouthshire’s schools.