Issue - meetings

In a change to published agenda running order the Committee agreed to hear the item on the Scrutiny of the Portfolio Holder for Business, Education and Skills first and the report on School Exclusions second.

Councillor Sam Webster, Portfolio Holder for Business, Education and Skill introduced the report to the Committee updating them on progress with respect to Education priorities within the Council Plan. He highlighted the following points:

(a)  86% of pupils attend a school that is rated either good or outstanding by Ofsted. This is up from 69% in 2015. This makes Nottingham better performing than statistical neighbours and other authorities in the East Midlands (both at 84%);

(b)  As some pupils who live in Nottingham City attend schools just over the boundary in County Nottingham City also monitors their performance and liaises with County Council over any concerns. Improvement Plans are shared with the City Council;

(c)  The Council are working with academy schools and Trusts which fall outside the Council’s remit, as well as maintained school to bring about improvement;

(d)  The newly formed charitable Nottingham School’s Trust works with all but 2 of the remaining maintained schools to help share resources and encourages collaboration;

(e)  Schools across the City and those schools just over the boundary are regularly reviewed and RAG rated to ensure good or outstanding education.  There are a number of large academies that are now due for Ofsted inspections and there will be peaks and troughs in performance;

(f)  94% of pupils received their first or second choice schools in Primary education. There have been an additional 4000 places created and there are further expansion programmes taking place to create more class spaces in high demand areas;

(g)   The Primary School absence rate has reduced and is closer to the national average and has remained stable for some time. The Secondary School absence rate has also reduced and the gap between that and the national average has narrowed;

(h)  The Council continues to push the “Every Day Matters” message to parents to emphasise the importance of attendance, and truancy patrols are undertaken in different areas around the city;

(i)  Following the court case involving  the Isle of Wight around what “regular attendance” meant there are tighter guidelines for parents and schools around unauthorised absence. This is likely to result in better figures in the future;

(j)  GCSE results are still a challenge with just over 30% achieving a strong pass. The grading system and bench mark for a strong pass has changed a number of times over the last few years and consistent measuring has been difficult.

(k)  The gap between Nottingham City’s achievement of strong pass at GCSE and the national average is narrowing but progress could be quicker and more effective;

(l)  All but one secondary school in Nottingham is an academy and so the opportunity to intervene and improve schools is limited.

(m)  Over the last ten years exclusion rates have risen significantly. There are concerns raised from various  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34