Agenda item

11.1

The Committee received a presentation from Pam Smith (Head of Primary and Targeted Intervention) providing an overview of 2017 final attainment and progress from Foundation Stage to A-level in Sheffield’s schools and academies.  It included comparisons to national performance and to other local authorities, and contained additional information on the further work on three priority areas (phonics, reading and white British disadvantaged pupils), following concerns raised with regard to performance in these areas at previous meetings of the Committee.

11.2

Also in attendance for this item were Councillor Jackie Drayton (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families), Kate Wilkinson (Service Manager – Performance and Analysis Service) and Stephen Betts (Chief Executive Officer - Learn Sheffield).

11.3

Members of the Committee raised questions, and the following responses were provided:-

·                 Whilst the information was not available at the meeting, data showing a breakdown of the various different categories of pupils shown as black and minority ethnic could be forwarded to Members, and included in future attainment reports submitted to the Committee.

·                 Learn Sheffield had made connections to good practice in other parts of the Country, including London. The focus on phonics outcomes and attainment in reading in Key Stages 1 and 2 would continue to be a focus for officers and Learn Sheffield, who would follow up the suggestion raised at the Scrutiny Committee meeting on 13^th November, 2017, to liaise with other education providers in the City, including private schools, to further explore good practice.

11.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)      notes the information reported as part of the presentation, the additional information now reported, and the responses to the questions raised;

(b)      thanks Councillor Jackie Drayton, Pam Smith, Kate Wilkinson and Stephen Betts for attending the meeting and responding to the questions raised;

(c)      welcomes the progress made with regard to the 2017 attainment;

(d)      expresses a will to provide any possible assistance in terms of any applications for funding with regard to schemes/initiatives to help improve attainment levels in the future; and

(e)      requests the Executive Director, People Services, to submit a further report on the progress made with regard to reading, mathematics and phonics, to a meeting of the Committee by September, 2018.