Meeting documents
Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-Committee (DCC)
Thursday 4 January 2007
Meeting: Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-Committee (County Hall, Durham - Committee Room 2 - 04/01/2007 09:30:00 AM)
Item: A4 Performance Update for 2nd Quarter of 2006/07
| Lifelong Learning Scrutiny |  |
| Report of the Head of Corporate Policy |
| Purpose of the Report |
1. The purpose of this report is to provide a performance update for quarter 2, 2006/07, for the authority’s corporate priorities, Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) and Public Library Service Standards (PLSSs) relevant to our Corporate Aim, Developing Lifelong Learning.
2. Performance for quarter 2, 2006/07 for indicators aligned to Developing Lifelong Learning is available in Appendix A (corporate priorities) and Appendix B (BVPIs and PLSSs).
2. Performance for quarter 2, 2006/07 for indicators aligned to Developing Lifelong Learning is available in Appendix A (corporate priorities) and Appendix B (BVPIs and PLSSs).
| Priorities for Improvement |
3. There is one priority area for improvement aligned to our Corporate Aim, Developing Lifelong Learning.
Within this theme there are 3 outcomes that have been identified as areas we want to improve. | Improving Educational Attainment |
Better educational attainment at Key Stage 4 - to know if we are succeeding at this we are measuring:
- BV 38 - 5 or more A*-C GCSE.
The percentage of children achieving 5 or more A*-C GCSEs has continued to show a year on year increase. Since the year 2000, the percentage has increased by 16.2 percentage points although performance has failed to meet target each year.
- LAA C&YP 06a - Average number of points at key stage 4 (stretch target).
- PFI 02a - 1 A*-G at GCSE.
This indicator tends to show relatively flat performance. Although the percentage of pupils achieving 1 A*-G at GCSE has decreased slightly from 95.9% to 95%, the percentage of children achieving higher grades has increased (see 5 or more A*-C GCSE).
Better educational attainment of children looked after at Key Stage 4 - to know if we are succeeding at this we are measuring:
- PFI 02b - % children leaving care with 5 or more A*-C GCSE.
Narrowing the gap between boys and girls at Key Stage 2 - to know if we are succeeding at this we are measuring:
- PFI 02c BV040a - L4 / KS2 Maths, Girls / Boys.
Although, in 2006, both boys and girls improved at Level 4 of Key Stage 2 Maths, there has been a greater improvement in the performance of girls. The gap between boys and girls is small with girls outperforming boys by 0.6 percentage points
- PFI 02c BV041a - L4 / KS2 English, Girls / Boys.
Performance of boys at Level 4 of Key Stage 2 English is significantly lower than that of girls. During 2006, girls improved and boys deteriorated. This resulted in a widening of the performance gap from 7.6 percentage points during 2005 to 10.8 percentage points during 2006.
Please note that all of the indicators contained within this theme are calculated from the 2006 examination results. Consequently, performance of these indicators is provisional and subject to remarks, missing results, queries etc. Therefore, final figures will be available during December 2006 and will be reported to the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-Committee of the 26 March 2007.
| Other Best Value Performance Indicators (BVPIs) |
There are 25 BVPIs and12 PLSSs relevant to our Corporate Aim, Developing Lifelong Learning
that, are not included in the authority’s corporate priorities. The majority of these indicators are
measured annually and consequently, there has been no change in their performance since the last
scrutiny report. Of those indicators that are collected quarterly, 4 improved performance, 1
deteriorated and 4 remained static.
| Performance | BVPI |
| Improved | 50 - children leaving care - 1 A*-G GCSE 170a - visits to / usage of museums (T) 170b - visits to museums in person 170c - pupils visiting museums and galleries (T) |
| Static | PLSS01 - households within 2 miles of library (T) PLSS02 - scheduled opening hours per 1,000 population (T) PLSS03 - static libraries with internet (T) - 100% PLSS04 - No. of workstations per 10,000 population (T) |
| Deteriorated | PLSS06 - physical visits to libraries per 1,000 population |
| No updated data | 34a - % primary schools >=25% surplus places 34b - % secondary schools >=25% surplus places 43a - SEN < 18 weeks excluding exceptions (T) - 100% 43b - SEN < 18 weeks including exceptions (T) - 100% 39 - 5 A*-G GCSEs inc English and Maths (T) 40 - Level 4 at KS2 Maths 41 - Level 4 at KS2 English 45 - % half days missed - secondary schools (T) 46 - % half days missed - primary schools 159 - Alternative tuition =>21 hours - 100% 181a - Level 5 / 5+ in KS3 English 181b - Level 5 / 5+ in KS3 Maths 181c - Level 5 / 5+ in KS3 Science 181d - Level 5 / 5+ in KS3 ICT 194a - Level 5 KS2 English (T) 194b - Level 5 KS2 Maths (T) 220 - Library standards checklist (T) 221a - Youth Work: Recorded Outcomes 221b - Youth Work - Accredited Outcomes 222a - Quality EY&C leadership - leaders 222b - Quality EY&C - postgraduate - 100% PLSS05i - % requests met within 7 days (T) PLSS05ii - % requests met within 15 days (T) PLSS05iii - % requests met within 30 days (T) PLSS07 - % users >16 - libraries good / very good (T) PLSS08 - % users PLSS09 - Annual items added per 1,000 population (T) PLSS10 - replenish time - total lending stock |
| Areas of improved performance |
- BV 50 - children leaving care - 1 A*-G GCSE. This indicator is prone to fluctuations. Due to the small number of looked after children eligible to take GCSE examinations, each child leaving care has a disproportionate effect (positive or negative) on the overall indicator.
- BV 170a - visits to / usage of museums. During quarter 2, there were an additional 3,357 visits / usage. This contributes to an increase of 27,171, equating to 5%, since 2005/06. Performance for this indicator is above the 2006/07 target.
- BV 170b - visits to museums in person. During quarter 2, there were an additional 3,817 visits to museums in person. This contributes to an increase of 6,853, equating to 4%, since 2005/06.
- BV 170c - pupils visiting museums and galleries. The post of ‘Schools Development Officer’ will not continue beyond September 2006. Due to this, a slow downturn in school visitors over coming years is expected. Performance has levelled off, with an additional 8 pupils visiting museums and galleries during quarter 2. Since 2005/06, an additional 271 pupils have visited museums and galleries, equating to an increase of 1.6%.
| Areas of deteriorated performance |
6. The performance of a number of indicators deteriorated during quarter 2, 2006/07. Of particular note:
Performance of the following indicators has not been updated since the last Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-committee;- PLSS 06 - Physical visits to libraries per 1,000 population Four samples are carried out each year and this indicator is calculated from the average of the previous 4. The authority has experienced poor results from some samples (due to, for example, inclement weather on the day of the sample) and this has reduced performance.
| Indicators that have not been updated during Quarter 2 |
- All indicators relating to annual examinations. I ndicators calculated from the 2006 examination results were reported at the previous Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-Committee. Performance of these indicators is provisional and subject to remarks, missing results, queries etc. Therefore, final figures will be available during December 2006 and will be reported to the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-Committee of the 26 March 2007.
- BV 034 - surplus places in schools. Performance of this indicator is taken from the Schools Census that is completed each January. This data will be presented at the next Lifelong Learning Scrutiny sub-committee (26 March 2007).
- BV 220 - Library standards checklist. This indicator is calculated annually. To achieve the highest score of 4, the authority needs to score more than 18 points using the criteria set out in the guidance notes. The authority currently has a score of 17.5 points. If the authority is able to comply with the requirements of Children’s CIPFA PLUS, then it is possible to achieve 9 out of 10 of the Public Library Service Standards (PLSSs) which equates to 18 points and is an overall top score of 4.
- PLSS05 - % requests met within timescales. Performance of this indicator was calculated using a survey that was carried out during October 2005. All elements of this PLSS are exceeding target. The next survey is due to be carried out during October 2006 and the results will be reported to the next Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-committee of the 26 March 2007.
- PLSS07 - % users >16 - libraries good / very good. Performance of this indicator was taken from the new CIPFA PLUS survey that was carried out during November 2005 and the resulting performance is better than the PLSS standard. In line with guidance, the survey will be repeated during November 2006 and the results reported to the next Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Sub-Committee of the 26 March 2007.
- PLSS08 - % users Performance is calculated from CIPFA Children's survey undertaken in 2004 and is a composite of 3 different questions. A new survey form is due to be undertaken in early 2007 and asks a specific question "What do you think of your library service?"
- PLSS09 - Annual items added per 1,000 population. This indicator is continuing to exceed the standard set. It should be noted that this indicator is affected by budget cuts.
| Recommendations |
i. note the contents of this report
ii. agree to receiving subsequent quarterly performance progress reports
| Contact: Debra Kitching Tel: 0191 383 4186 |
Attachments
LLL macro for tables - P+.pdf;
LLL macro for PFI tables - P+.pdf;
Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Report - 4 January 07.pdf