A report providing the Committee with an updates on the 2018/19 school standards/attainment figures in order for the Committee to determine progress for children and young people in Reading Schools.

The Director of Education, BFfC, submitted a report providing the Committee with an update on the 2018/19 school standards/attainment figures in order for the Committee to determine progress for children and young people in Reading Schools.  The information on standards in the report had been based on un-validated data for the academic year 2018/19; validated data would be available later in the academic year.

The report explained that overall schools in the Borough had been just below the national average for standards.  In all Key Stages schools had continued to mirror the national position in terms of the gap in attainment between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged children.  The gap in Key Stages 1 and 2 had continued to decrease compared with England averages and at Key Stages 3 and 4, in some secondary schools, there had been some of the best performance in the country.  There had also been a significant reduction in secondary school fixed term exclusions, due partly to training on Therapeutic Thinking with schools and colleges.  However, there had been a substantial proportion of young people leaving schools without the requisite skills for the world of further education and work.  The Virtual School for children looked after also delivered some of the best provision in the country and the majority of primary schools were good or outstanding, whilst the picture for secondary schools was more mixed.

The report set out details of achievement against Key Performance Indicators for the following:

• Reduction in secondary school fixed term exclusions;
• Key Stage 2 results (Reading, Writing and Maths);
• Key Stage 4 results (Attainment 8);
• Increased percentage of schools rated good or outstanding.

Resolved –

(1)     That the progress made in raising standards across Reading Schools be noted and teachers, support staff, governors, children and their families thanked for all their hard work;

(2)     That the work of Brighter Futures for Children in raising standards in schools continue to be supported;

(3)     That a further report be submitted to the Committee in 2020 when the validated data was available.