(copy enclosed)
Minutes:
The GwE Managing Director presented a report which summarized
the situation in terms of indicators of pupil outcomes in 2015. He guided the Members through the report by key
stage.
During the ensuing discussion, the following main points were highlighted:
·
Target
results differed in individual authorities.
In response, the GwE Managing Director
noted that it was an issue
that affected the whole of Wales. He noted that there were
pending plans to improve consistency across local authorities
and that individual schools would be challenged on their targets
on pupil levels;
·
No
target should be set for a pupil if
it is not attainable;
·
KS2 outcomes had improved in Gwynedd and Angelsey, and
that collaboration should be encouraged to disseminate good practice;
·
There was a decline
in pupil results when comparing
KS3 teacher assessments with the true results
in KS4. In response, the GwE Managing Director noted that procedures were in place to assist
teachers to generate meaningful assessments;
·
The process of moderation of teacher assessments and visiting individual schools made a difference, but questioned the capacity to look at each school
and each subject individually. In response, the GwE Managing Director
noted that visits to schools would be held to measure improvements against targets implemented within resources. He added that that they
would maybe look to vary the use of grants such
as the Education Improvement Grant to this purpose;
·
The need to ensure
that competent teachers teach mathematics and the need to consider the lack of mathematicians. In response, John Davies (Wrexham County Borough Council) noted that GwE
is advertising for individuals who specialize in mathematics
and English to respond to the demand;
·
It would
be interesting to look at
the new GCSE results in mathematics and English. The need to re-train teachers and to attract individuals who were specialists
in their subjects was noted. In response, Geraint Rees (Welsh Government) noted that Professor John Furlong was looking at a teacher training programme on behalf of Welsh Government. He added that there was a real national concern about keeping individuals
in the teaching profession;
·
It would
be useful to come to a judgement on KS5 results. In response,
GwE’s Assistant Director (Standards) noted that it
was difficult to compare results since a low number of pupils
took the subjects of this Key Stage
in Sixth Form, but that
schools were visited when there
was a problem with a particular
subject;
·
It was questioned
whether it would be possible to establish the outcomes of FSM pupils in order
to benchmark how they compare with pupils across Wales.
·
It would be
interesting to see the profile of KS4 in the results of Estyn
inspections. GwE’s Assistant Director (Standards)
noted that when the inspection results were received, proposals for individual
schools across the Region would be considered.
RESOLVED to accept
and note the content of the report.
Supporting documents: