Issue - meetings

(a)          That members receive the GwE report on Outcomes 2019 for Foundation Phase, Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3, relating to regional context and local performance for 2019.

(b)          That the Committee notes the national changes to reporting on teacher assessment and the new interim Key Stage 4 measures

(c)          That the Committee acknowledge the importance of the well-being of staff as the most important resource within schools; and

(d)          That the Committee requested a report on the GwE professional offer, the level of engagement on the offer from schools and the impact this was having on improvement, at a future meeting.

            The report was presented by the Chief Officer (Education and Youth) and provided information on Learner Outcomes for Key Stage 2 and 3 together with a detailed report from GwE.  She referred to the ongoing changes to performance reporting and to a meeting held with Welsh Government (WG) to understand how reporting to Scrutiny would need to be modified in the light of those changes. She added that information on Key Stages 4 and 5 could not be circulated at the meeting as it was still provisional but would be brought to the March Committee meeting.

            The Senior Manager referred to the executive summary which provided an overview following the recent member workshop and the significant changes in reporting and also for teacher assessments for Key Stage 2 and 3 for Welsh schools.  She referred members to the appendix which provided more detail together with an indication on how schools would manage the transition and maintain standards.

            Mr Dave Edwards (Senior Core for Lead Primary) confirmed standards for Foundation Stage and Key Stage 2 within Flintshire remained above the national average.  He referred to Value Added and the expected levels schools should achieve across Flintshire, however for some schools this was a real challenge but said with the reporting changes this would acknowledge these challenges especially with regard to outcomes.   He provided more detail on how information on each individual school was monitored to ensure all pupils achieved their potential.  He then referred to the information provided on the gap between boys and girls and free school meals and also the work being carried out in schools following the Estyn inspections.

            Mr David Hytch commented that he had difficulty understanding the figures as regards pupil progress without a base line level and asked if Mr Edwards had access to that information but was unable to share it.  In response Mr Edwards said the data would become less available in future but with the use of the tracking programme this would enable GwE to measure value added especially for children with low literacy skills and provide an overview of how support for these children could be tracked through Foundation Stage onwards.  He added, at Key Stage 2 schools worked together to use moderation to share, evaluate and create levels to understand what the outcome for Key Stage 1 and 2 would look like.

            The Senior Manager referred to the previous reporting of data, rankings etc. and said in 2017 91% of Key Stage 2 learners achieved the expected level.  The process of moving to the accountability framework which would look at the quality of education as a whole and include the wellbeing of pupils, Estyn outcomes and the provision at schools to ensure young people achieved their potential. 

            The Leader referred to indicators and detail previously received and said that WG guidelines stated that comparisons should be against the Welsh average.  The Value Added was very important to ensure every child especially those who required extra support where striving for excellence  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37