Issue - meetings

STOCKTON-ON-TEES BOROUGH COUNCIL

CABINET DECISION

PROFORMA

Cabinet Meeting ........................................................................ 12 March 2026

Consideration was given to a report on School Performance 2024 – 2025 for Vulnerable Pupils.

The report presented a summary analysis of vulnerable pupil performance in the academic year 2024-2025 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 existed.  It included performance outcomes for:

1.       Pupils in receipt of Pupil Premium Funding.

2.       Performance by gender.

3.       Performance by ethnicity.

4.       Children and Young People in Our Care.

5.       Children with a Social Worker.

6.       Children with Special Needs.

7.       Children from Service Families.

8.       Attendance and exclusion figures for Stockton.

Strong attainment outcomes for vulnerable pupils were achieved in Stockton-on-Tees despite significant underlying structural inequalities.

In interpreting the performance of vulnerable groups, it was important to acknowledge that the Borough continued to experience some of the most pronounced neighbourhood-level inequalities in the country, which was often masked by Borough-wide averages. These inequalities intersect with the wider system challenges highlighted through work on Early Intervention and Prevention (EIP), which identified an estimated 2,205 adults experiencing Severe and Multiple Disadvantage (SMD) locally each year.

Many of the vulnerabilities seen among children and young people such as suspensions, poor attendance, SEND, social care involvement and unstable housing were understood to be early indicators of future risk, underlining the critical importance of whole-family, place-based and early intervention approaches.

Together with partners, the Council was working to strengthen the collective system response by removing organisational boundaries, improving multiagency data sharing, aligning resources, and building a shared “One Voice” approach around prevention.

This strategic alignment ensured that work to improve educational outcomes was supported by wider efforts to address the root causes of inequality, stabilise families experiencing complex lives, and create the conditions for long-term positive change.

Key Headlines included:-

•         Overall attainment for vulnerable groups shows positive direction of travel, with notable improvements for disadvantaged pupils, girls, non white pupils, and pupils with SEND.

•         Stockton frequently outperforms national benchmarks across multiple groups and all key stages.

•         Gender outcomes are strong, with both boys and girls performing well compared with national figures and holding high regional rankings.

•         Children in Our Care achieve well, especially at EYFS and KS4, supported by strong partnership work from the Virtual School.

•         Children with a Social Worker show improving trends in key areas including suspensions and attendance.

•         SEND outcomes at KS2 and KS4 have strengthened, both for pupils with EHCPs and for those receiving SEN Support.

•         Exclusions practice is increasingly effective, with no permanent exclusions in special schools and several exclusions prevented through early intervention and challenge.

•         Attendance work is having measurable impact, with primary and special school attendance performing better than national/regional levels and secondary attendance improving. However, PRU attendance is a significant concern, with very high persistent and severe absence.

•         Suspensions and attendance challenges continue for Children in Our Care and for Children with a Social  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111