To comment on the report to be considered by Cabinet on 24 November 2016

The Panel considered a report on improving choice in education in the borough. The report was presented by the Head of Schools and Education Services and the Ewelina Sobon (Takeover Day Head of Schools and Education Services). It was explained that 84% of borough schools were judged by Ofsted as good or outstanding. Significant improvements had been made in recent years and attainment continued to improve. For the 2016 Year 6 SATS, 59% had met the expected standard. This meant the borough was 70th out of 150 highest achieving authorities in England. At GCSE level, 72.7% achieved A*-C in English and Maths, therefore the borough was 9^th out of 150 highest achieving local authorities in England.

The government was now consulting on the opportunity to introduce selective education. In 2015 13% of borough families applied for a grammar school as their first preference with a number being successful, meaning children travelled outside the borough for their secondary education. A second aspect of the consultation was the challenge for disadvantaged pupils. 3,500 out of 20,000 pupils were disadvantaged and eligible for free school meals in the borough.  Despite a high performing system, at Key Stage 2 these pupils achieved 26% less than peers from advantaged families. At GCSE the gap was 28%.

The opportunity presented in the consultation to work with universities, independent schools and any selective provision should focus on reducing the gap. The recommendations therefore proposed the development of a number of options. Any proposal needed to include three factors:

·         Continue to support a great system

·         Success and access for the disadvantaged

·         Backed up by evidence of parental demand

Susannah Ames stated that she could only support the recommendations if reference was made to paragraph 2.11, in particular that the council would support any proposal that considered full or partial selective education only where the proposal included a detailed commitment to raise the academic achievement of young people eligible for pupil premium. She therefore proposed this wording be added to recommendation i).

Susannah Ames commented that she felt the questions in the consultation were very leading. Sidra Al-Magazachi asked how less able pupils would benefit from the proposals? The Head of Schools and Education responded that the report set out that should new selective streams appear, universities who selected the brightest pupils and independent schools were being asked to bring their expertise to improve the situation for disadvantaged pupils. There was no one clear thing that could be done (otherwise the borough would already be doing it). The proposals would help target pupils in social and school settings to be confident and have high aspirations. Jamoi Sill (Takeover Day Projects Officer) asked how the proposals would help reduce the gap. The Head of Schools and Education responded that more resources would be brought to bear on disadvantaged groups. Sharing and collaboration would help. Three headteachers had shared best practice at a meeting of the School Improvement Forum the previous week, this was recognised by Ofsted.

Susannah Ames commented that the education system in the borough was very successful; she asked was there any evidence to suggest that the introduction of selective education would further improve it? The Head of Schools and Education responded that the historical secondary/grammar system showed evidence of a continued gap, however what was clear was that high standards came from young people seeing aspiration at all levels. Selective schools were clearly aspirational, so were the borough’s comprehensive schools. A system which encompassed all would have the most impact.

RESOLVED: That the Special O&S Panel endorsed the recommendations as listed in the report, with the addition of a proposed amendment to recommendation i:

That Cabinet:

i.       Endorse the development of selective or partially selective education within the education provision of the Royal Borough to further improve the choice of education available to pupils and the families. This council will support any proposal that considers full or partial selective education only where the proposal includes a detailed commitment to raise the academic achievement of young people eligible for pupil premium

(Seven Members voted in favour of the motion - Sidra Al-Magazachi, Susannah Ames, Joseph Ioras, Luisa Marinozzi, Rida Naseer, Jamoi Sill and Ewelina Sobon. Two Members voted against the motion - Sam Hester, Jay Sidapara.)