Decision details

1.

Title of Item/Report

School Performance 2023 - 2024 for Vulnerable Pupils

2.

Record of the Decision

Consideration was given to a report that presented a summary analysis of vulnerable pupil performance in the academic year 2023-2024 for all key stages and all providers in the Borough. It was informed by the latest available data, some of which remained unvalidated and compared to national and regional averages where they exist.  It included performance outcomes for:

- Pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium Funding;

- Performance by gender;

- Performance by ethnicity;

- Children and Young People in Our Care;

- Children with Special Needs;

- Children from Service Families;

- Attendance and exclusion figures for Stockton.

Some of the key figures included:-

In Stockton in 2024*:

a.       9599 of Stockton’s 29297 pupils are eligible for Pupil Premium and are classified as disadvantaged. This is 31.6% of the cohort.  This is 4.7% higher than the national average of 27.3%

b.       27.1% of pupils in primary schools are eligible for Free School Meals (FSMEver6). This is  2.9% higher than the national average of 24.2%

c.        27.3% of pupils in secondary schools are eligible for Free School Meals (FSMEver6).  This is 3.3% higher than the national average of 24%

d.       1.3% pupils are identified as Children in Our Care (CIOC).  This is 0.64% higher than the national average of 0.66%.

e.       4,194 of Stockton's 32,182 pupils are classified as having Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support provision, this is 13.0% of the cohort. This is 0.3% lower than the national average of 13.3% (Source NCER Census Data - Spring 24 Census exc. subsidiary pupils)

f.        1,499 of Stockton’s 32,182 pupils are classified as having SEN Education Health and Care Plan provision (EHCP), this is 4.7% of the cohort.  This is 0.1% higher than the national average of 4.6% (Source NCER Census Data - Spring 24 Census exc. subsidiary pupils)

g.       8.1% of pupils in primary schools have a first language other than English. This is 14.6% lower than the national average of 22.7% (Source NCER Census Data - Spring 24 Census exc. subsidiary pupils).

h.       7.1% of pupils in secondary schools have a first language other than English. This is 11.4% lower than the national average of 18.5% (Source NCER Census Data - Spring 24 Census exc. subsidiary pupils).

i.         12% of pupils in North East are identified as long-term disadvantaged (3).  The highest percentage is in London (15%). Long-term disadvantage varies considerably across the country.

j.         Disadvantaged pupils tend to do worse than their better-off peers.

k.        Those who are disadvantaged for the longest time do worst of all.

l.         2021/22 data (4) evidences 32.6% of children in Stockton are living in poverty, compared to 29% in the UK.  This is an increase of 7.1% points since 2014/15, whilst the UK average is the same as at that point.

m.      There is no longer any statutory reporting of pupil outcomes at the end of KS1.

n.       Pupil progress data for the end of KS2 is not available in 2024 because these pupils were not assessed at the end of KS1 due to covid restrictions.

*based on the spring census

RESOLVED that:-

1. The standards and achievement across the Borough for vulnerable groups of children be noted.

2. The strong overall performance of Stockton schools at both primary and secondary phases be noted.

3. The work undertaken to further reduce educational attainment gap be noted.

3.

Reasons for the Decision

For noting only.

4.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None

5.

Declared (Cabinet Member) Conflicts of Interest

None

6.

Details of any Dispensations

None

7.

Date and Time by which Call In must be executed

N/A