AGENDA ITEM 2
BOROUGH OF POOLE
COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND EDUCATION SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 13 DECEMBER 2005
The meeting commenced at 6.35pm and finished at 9.56pm.
Members present:
Councillor Mrs James (Chairman)
Councillor Mrs Butt (Vice-Chairman)
Councillors Belcham, Bulteel, Mrs Hillman, Mrs Moore, Montrose (substituting for Councillor Newell), Rampton, Smith and Wilson.
Diocesan Representatives:
Mr K Newman
Members of the public present: 17
- APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Montrose and Newell. Apologies were also received from Canon C Rutledge and Mr Peter Crouch.
2.MINUTES
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 18 October 2005 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
3.DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
4.URGENT MATTERS
There were no Urgent Matters at this meeting.
5.OFSTED REPORTS
(a) Hillbourne Community Middle School
The Headteacher, Amanda Dawson, and Angela Roth, Chair of Governors, were in attendance at this meeting. Hillbourne Community Middle School was last inspected in 1999 and the school had made satisfactory progress since that Inspection. Historically, pupils had entered the school with below average levels of attainment. However, in recent years, standards to entry had risen so that they were now broadly average. The school had 33 pupils fewer on roll than in 1999. There were 95 pupils on the Special Enhanced Needs (SEN) register, which is well above average. Pupils with moderate learning difficulties form the largest group. Five pupils have Statements of SEN (again that was above the national average). The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals was well below the national average. Three pupils were in the early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language, which is higher than in most schools. About 2% of pupils are known to be from a minority ethnic background, which is below average. Since 1999 the school had faced significant barriers to improvement, including a period of high turnover of staff and falling rolls. However, in the last 2 years the teacher turnover had been low. The school gained Healthy Schools Status in 2003 and the Basic Skills Quality mark in 2004.
The Head of School Advice and Support Services added that from September 2005 schools that were not delivering a sufficiently high standard of education on inspection could be categorised as requiring “special measures” or needing an “improvement notice”. There were currently no Poole LEA Schools that, immediately prior to September, fell into the old categories of “special measures”, “serious weaknesses” or “underachieving”.
The OFSTED Report gave a satisfactory scoring to achievement within the school. The pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, attendance and punctuality were good. The provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development was very good. The quality of education provided by the school was satisfactory and improving. The quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory. The leadership and management of the school was satisfactory with an added note that the Headteacher had provided good leadership in steadily moving the school forward and that all staff were dedicated to this improvement. The parents were generally supportive of the school. The OFSTED Report highlighted that improvements needed to be made in raising standards in English and Mathematics and in particular, for those more able pupils. There should be a continuing effort to raise the quality of teaching. The report highlighted that there should be a review of the methods by which the Governors hold the school to account for the pupils’ standards.
A Member asked a Chair of Governors why they thought that leadership had been highlighted as an area in which they needed to improve upon? The Chair of Governors for Hillbourne Community Middle School responded that since Governors did not sign the visitors book, the OFSTED Inspector had no evidence to show that Governors had taken an active interest in the day-to-day operations of the school. The Chair of Governors highlighted that they did take an active role and an example of this was where they would visit a teacher prior to them taking employment in the school to ensure that their teaching was of the right standards.
A Member asked when was Hillbourne Community Middle School to be merged? The Headteacher responded that this would be in the middle of 2006. A Member made a further comment that seven months to improve was a short period of time for this to be able to be achieved. Further to this, that the OFSTED Report should have highlighted that a merger was due to take place when making final assessments in the OFSTED Report. The Headteacher responded that any outstanding areas of improvement would roll forward with the merger and form part of any new Action Plan.
Several Members raised concerns over the way the school had been inspected. The Policy Director (Children’s Services) highlighted that the Inspection had been carried out by an individual who had recently lost his contract with OFSTED and this may have contributed to some of the reporting that had taken place. The Headteacher of the school responded that, while they had responded through the questionnaire over the disappointment of some of the areas of how they had been assessed, she felt, with her staff, that they did not want to make a formal complaint and were keen to move forward and to look retrospectively on what had taken place.
A Member asked whether the Local Education Authority (LEA) had supported the school? The Headteacher of the school replied that the Head of School Advice and Support Services and supporting staff had been very helpful throughout.
A number of Members highlighted they felt that the quality of teaching was good and that the school was moving in the right direction. If the school had truly been as the OFSTED Report described, then there would have been cause for concern but Members felt that this was not the case.
RESOLVED that
(i)the OFSTED Report on Hillbourne Community Middle School be noted; and
(ii)the Chairman write to the Headteacher and Chair of Governors of Hillbourne Community Middle School on behalf of the Committee, thanking them for attending the Meeting and presenting their Satisfactory OFSTED Report.
(b)Briefing on new style OFSTED
The Head of School Advice and Support Services highlighted to the Members present that under the new OFSTED regime, schools had little time to prepare for an Inspection. Under the new system, some teachers won’t be observed in their classrooms, which is different to the previous regime where all teaches were assessed. The main findings of the OFSTED Report will now look at outcomes for children and not the subjects themselves being inspected. The grading system will be changed with grade 1 as a top grading and grade 4 being inadequate. Schools will be served with a “notice to improve” if OFSTED believe it is needed.
(c)Turlin Moor Community First School
The Headteacher of the school reported that the main points of the OFSTED Report were as follows:
The School was successful in promoting a strong partnership with parents. Parents and pupils were very positive about the school and what it provided. Pupils were well behaved, particularly at playtimes where they clearly enjoyed the outstanding range of activities. Pupils behaved well in lessons and had developed positive attitudes to their work, because staff were skilled in praising success. There was a good range of strategies to help pupils develop a sense of community and contribute to their feeling safe in school. Pupils had made good progress in their spiritual, moral and social development. They quickly learnt the difference between right and wrong. Teachers consistently promoted positive attitudes to learning and ensured the classrooms were stimulating places to be. Most pupils enjoyed their work and were keen to participate and show what they knew. Care, advice and guidance provided to pupils had many strengths. The pupils’ personal development, well-being and welfare were a high priority and this helped them to concentrate on their learning. The pupils fed back comments that there was always someone that they could talk to in school and they were confident that they would be supported well. The parents of the children at the school were very positive about the care the school provided as some chose to bring their children to the school from outside the area. The Governing Body was well informed about how the school was doing through detailed reports from the Headteacher. The Governing Body was very supportive of the school and rightly valued the school for providing very well for pupils’ personal development.
Following a presentation from the Headteacher of Turlin Moor Community Fist School, the Committee discussed whether it was relevant for all OFSTED Reports be come to Committee under the new style OFSTED ratings. A number of Members felt that it would be more appropriate for the Policy Director (Children’s Services) to write a letter to the schools explaining that they could attend the Committee voluntarily and that this was not a mandatory requirement. Secondly, that the Chair of this Committee, with the support of two Conservative and two Liberal Democrat Members, to write to the schools separately outlining issues they wished to be raised. A Member objected to this, outlining that they felt the Committee should be critical friends of the schools and by schools not coming to Committee that this would be lost.
A Motion was put All OFSTED Reports to be reported to the Committee as information only and that a presentation from a school only be given if Special Measures have been placed upon the school by Councillor Mrs Butt and seconded by Councillor Smith. Eight Members voted for this Motion with Councillors Montrose and Moore abstaining.
RESOLVED that
(i)the OFSTED Inspection Report of Turlin Moor Community First School be noted;
(ii)the Chairman write to the Headteacher and Chair of Governors of Turlin Moor Community First School on behalf of the Committee, thanking them for attending the meeting and presenting this satisfactory OFSTED Report;
(iii)All OFSTED Reports to be reported to the Committee as information only and that a presentation from a school only be given if Special Measures or a Notice to Improve has been placed upon the school or some other concern is raised; and
(iv)Summary of all OFSTED reported schools be submitted to this Committee on a 6 monthly basis.
6.UPDATE FROM YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE ANNUAL YOUTH CONFERENCE
The Senior Youth Worker, along with twelve members of the Poole Youth Forum, gave a presentation regarding their work and the Youth Conference. The Youth Conference for this year concentrated on the Government Consultation on the Youth green paper “Youth Matters”. A number of workshops were held to look at areas within the green paper. The final session of the Youth Conference took the form of a “Question Time” and was chaired by Peter Henley, Political Editor for BBC South. The Members of the Poole Youth Forum were subsequently invited to the BBC South Section of the Politics Show on Sunday 13 November 2005. Peter Cooper, Senior Youth Worker for Poole and organiser of the Youth Conference was also asked to sit on the Panel during the show. He was joined by several members of the Poole Youth Forum who outlined their own experiences on the show. The Committee had an opportunity to see this interview which they felt improved their understanding of youth issues.
The Youth Forum now had new and some longer standing members who had integrated well and had started developing future project ideas together. Some project ideas were based on outcomes from the Conference, such as a bullying project to explore real solutions in more depth and other ideas have been generated through personal interest. An example of this was to form links with African teenagers. The participation project was now working in many of the local schools to promote the Forum, informally supporting school councils, and promoting the UKYP elections on January 27 2006.
The Communications Focus Group of the Poole Youth Forum have identified five areas that they would like to develop which include the Youth Forum’s links with school councils, interactive mediums to promote the Forum, publicity for the Forum, training for Youth Forum members and Forum creative arts group.
The Youth Conference proved to be an excellent event. Forty-five young people who attended had the opportunity to engage in a democratic process of debate. The profile of the participation project and Poole Youth Forum has been raised through the invitation to take part in “The Politics Show”. More young people have since been inspired to join Poole Youth Forum and get involved locally.
All Members shared the view that it was encouraging to see young people engaging in the democratic process and that they would be happy to help them in any area that they felt the could and that discussions would be encouraged during the recess of the meeting.
RESOLVED that the Committee thank the Senior Youth Worker and members of the Poole Youth Forum for attending the meeting and giving their presentation.
7.RESULTS OF STATUTORY NATIONAL CURRICULUM ASSESSMENT AND PUBLIC EXAMINATION IN POOLE IN 2005
The Head of School Advice and Support Services presented to the Group their findings. Overall, Key Stage 2 results and GCSE results were the best ever achieved in the Borough, continuing the upward trend of 2004. At Key Stage 1 (KS1) pupils in Poole achieved higher than the national standards at a required standards (level 2) and the higher level (level 3) for reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils achieving at least the middle of the level (2b or higher) has risen. Poole pupils were ranked 17th nationally for writing and mathematics. The primary strategy was to continue focusing on improvements through guided reading and the development of language through the speaking and listening programme.
At Key Stage 2 (KS2) Poole was judged by the Department of Education (DFES) as having the most improved results over the last four years in the three core subjects taken together. Pupils in Poole achieved similar standards to the national for reading, writing, mathematics and science at a required standards (level 4), being within one percentage point above or below national figures. At level 5, Poole was higher than the national in the core subjects. This represented good progress for the Local Authority. Over a four year period Poole’s national ranking had improved consistently in mathematics and at higher level English.
KS2 value added schools were just below average (100.1 in Poole, 100.2 nationally) and its data indicated that many pupils continued to underachieve in English and mathematics, some pupils making less than average progress between KS1 and KS2. The primary strategy was focusing intensively on these pupils, with teaching and learning support in specific schools through the LPSA programme and more general support for the development of formative assessment through assessment for learning in all schools.
At KS3 outcomes in three core subjects were generally high and progress from KS2 were generally very good to the level five plus standard, where the Local Authority is ranked in the top twenty over the four year period and fourth in mathematics in 2005.
KS3 value added progress from KS2 remained high generally, with national comparisons to 2004 placing Poole within the top seven. More detailed data shows this to be true, showing high or very high progress for all groups in the test. However, there was evidence of underachievement amongst some groups of pupils and the Local Education Authority was supporting those schools in addressing this.
Schools in ICT at KS3 are lower than average in strategies for developing this subject at being established through secondary strategy, where attention is being paid to improving teaching, learning and assessment. The national test being developed by the qualifications and curriculum authority are expected to underpin these improvements.
At GCSE, Poole Local Authority is ranked ninth for students gaining five A star to C grades, both with and without English and mathematics. For students gaining at least five A star to G grades, Poole was sixth nationally and forth when English and mathematics were included. A small proportion nationally had left with no examinations.
Post sixteen results comparisons were still being processed nationally and locally to take into accounts results of courses taken in years 12 and 13.