27 January 2016 weekly update

Dear Colleagues

DfE Performance Tables GCSE Update

The DFE has published the 2015 School Performance Tables, with the validated GCSE results. There is little change from the provisional results. Performance in Kent for 5 or more GCSE A*-C grades including English and Maths is 57.3%, compared to 58% in 2014. The national average is 53.8%.

Kent remains above the national average by 3.5%. Comparison with Kent’s statistical neighbours shows a declining picture with Kent’s ranking in terms of the percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more A*- C grades including English and Mathematics slipping from third to sixth place.

Expected rates of progress at GCSE (three levels of progress between Key Stages 2 and 4) declined in English to 72.6%, compared to 74.3% in 2014. Kent however remains above the national average of 71.1%. Progress in Mathematics declined very slightly from 66.8% of pupils achieving the expected rate of progress in 2014 to 66.6% in 2015. The national figure improved from 65.5% in 2014 to 66.9% in 2015, which means that Kent remains broadly in line with the national average for this measure.

EBacc results improved to 26.5%, compared to 22.9% nationally. The results for English and maths A*-C grades declined by a small amount. The percentage of students achieving A*-C in English was 70.4% compared 65.8% nationally, and the percentage of students achieving A*-C in mathematics was 66.6% compared to 65.5% nationally. The percentage of students achieving A*-C in English and mathematics was 59.8% compared to 55.8% nationally.

In 2014, performance in English at A* to C grades was 71.4%, which was 6.8% above the national average of 64.6%. In Maths performance at A*-C was 67.6%, which was also above the national average of 64.7%.

The floor standard for Secondary schools is 40% of pupils achieving five good GCSE grades with English and mathematics. 20 schools performed below the floor standard, compared to 24 schools in 2014.

There were 48 schools where performance was in line with or above the national average, including 16 High Schools.

The range of performance is very wide. Among High Schools the range is from 6% for the lowest performing school (now closed) to 72% for the highest performing school and 61% for the highest performing non-Church school. Among Grammar Schools the range is from 91% for the lowest performing school to 100% for the highest performing schools.

Performance in the EBacc ranges from 2% for the lowest performing High School to 43% for the highest performing school. Among Grammar Schools the range is 31% for the lowest performing school to 98% for the highest performing school.

Overall 48 Secondary schools improved their results in 2015 or maintained their GCSE performance or declined by no more than 1%, compared to 20 schools in 2014. The improved performance includes 30 High Schools.

At the same time there is a three year declining trend in GCSE performance in a number of schools. GCSE results in 2015 were lower than in 2013 in 49 schools.

Key Stage 4 Gender Differences

At Key Stage 4, the gender gap in attainment of 5 or more A*- C grades including English and Mathematics remained around 9% as in the previous two years. 52.2% of boys and 61.0% of girls attained this level of achievement in 2015 compared to 47.9% of boys and 58.0% of girls nationally. 38 schools narrowed the gender attainment gap compared to 2014. This is from the total of 68 mixed gender Secondary schools.

Outcomes for Vulnerable Groups at Key Stage 4

The Key Stage 4 attainment gap between FSM pupils and their peers for 5 or more A*- C grades including English and Mathematics in 2015 was 33.8%, compared to 34.3% in 2014. The national gap was 27.4%. 30.6% of FSM students in Kent achieved this measure, compared to 26.5% in 2014, and compared to 63.5% of non FSM students. This represents a very small narrowing of the gap by 0.5% compared to 2014. At the same time 46 schools reduced the FSM gap compared to 41 schools in 2014.

The 2015 gap between FSM students and non FSM students in achieving three levels of progress by the end of Key Stage 4, in English, was 19.9%. Only 56.2% of FSM students achieved this rate of progress compared to 76.1% of non FSM students. In Mathematics the gap was 27.3% with 44.7% of FSM students achieving this rate of progress compared to 72% of non FSM students. This gap narrowed in both English (by 1.8%) and Mathematics (by 1.3%) compared to 2014.

Pupils with SEN statements achieved less well in Kent, where attainment gaps are wider compared to the GCSE achievements of other similar pupils nationally. For 5 or more A*- C grades including English and Mathematics in 2015 the gap between pupils with SEN and their peers was 39.4%. This narrowed marginally from 40.7% in 2014.

At Key Stage 4, 12.5% of Children in Care achieved 5 or more A*- C grades including English and Mathematics compared to 8.2% in 2014, which is a very welcome improvement. The Key Stage 4 attainment gap is 44.4% which has reduced from 50.0% in 2014. These are the widest achievement gaps of any pupil group, and continue to be an important focus for improvement in 2016.

Headteacher Meetings

I would like to invite you to attend one of my 4 Area Headteacher meetings this term where I will cover the following items:

• Development of a Kent Education Trust
• Vulnerable Learners Strategy
• High Needs Funding

The dates are as follows:

Wednesday 2 March (9am for a 9.30am start until 12noon)
Manor Hotel, Gravesend

Friday 4 March (9am for a 9.30am start until 12noon)
Canterbury Cricket Ground

Tuesday 8 March (9am for a 9.30am start until 12noon)
Hythe Imperial Hotel

Wednesday 9 March (9am for a 9.30am start until 12noon)
Oakwood House, Maidstone

Please email EYPSsupportteam@kent.gov.uk confirming which meeting you wish to attend.

Patrick Leeson
Corporate Director for Education and Young People's Services