Agenda item

The Committee considered the report of the Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services that provided Members with an update of recent Ofsted inspections of County Durham’s maintained schools and educational outcomes in County Durham in 2023 (for copy of report, see file of Minutes).

The Head of Education and Skills was in attendance to present the report and deliver a presentation that focused on the Ofsted Inspections of the current academic year; Ofsted Inspections position currently for all schools; Ofsted Inspection Outcomes for different school categories and the summary outcome data for children in Durham Schools by Key Stage. He also provided details of Ofsted Inspections regime going forward (for copy of presentation, see file of minutes).

Ofsted Inspections

Members were advised that the new Chief Ofsted Inspector was Sir Martyn Oliver, who had local connections to the county. The new chief inspector would make changes in the inspection framework due to the intense pressure Ofsted inspections put on school managers. There would no longer be one word judgements, which may impact on making comparisons with previous years inspection judgements, it was also reported there was a lack of headship of the inspection process.

The Head of Education and Skills added that if a school had 50 in year transfers this provided a challenge to the school, but schools did well, there was a lot of ‘good stuff’ going on in schools and they would benefit from the changes to the inspection framework.

Referring to inspection outcomes for nursery and primary provision the aim was for all children to attend good or better provision and the figures would look better next year. The Head of Education and Skills advised that small primaries inspection outcomes had dipped and provided examples of reasons for this.

Focus then turned to secondary schools and members were advised that five secondaries were due for inspection and gave examples of two schools that should receive a better inspection outcome.

In relation to special schools the Ofsted inspection outcomes were on par with national figures and indicated that lots of special schools were not being inspected.

The Head of Education and Skills advised members that when he provides an update to committee next year, he will include comparisons with statistical neighbours.

Mrs Gunn commented that the context was important but not applied to special schools and those schools that had resources were able to manipulate the outcomes.

The Head of Education and Skills provided an example of Dean Academy, that had received a Requires Improvement Ofsted judgment at a previous inspection and at a recent inspection and received a good outcome, the school had unique challenges. They had 40/60 transfers coming in from different parts of Durham and the country and statistically if a child had moved schools three or more times, they would be 2.5 grades lower in all their 8 subjects at GCSE. Dean Academy were doing a good job and were still showing positive outcomes with these children that was now recognised by Ofsted.

Ofsted Inspections Outcomes

Moving to Educational Attainment the Head of Education and Skills advised in relation to primary data, previously County Durham was above regional and national data, but they were now lower. He added that he was not worried about this and that post COVID priorities had changed, and SATs were less important when compared to the welfare of the child. He expected that changes in the inspection framework relating to child welfare would be included. Maths was an issue and support was available via a service level agreement to provide support for schools and this would support children to achieve later in their educational attainment.

Information was given on Progress 8 which was a range of very academic subjects and young people were measured by their peers for performance. Aspects were doing well but the EBAC focussed on languages, humanities and sciences and some young people struggle. A range of tools had been removed from secondary schools, but the Head of Education and Skill advised he could see change coming. He explained the scoring of progress 8 and how the county was third regionally in terms of progress.

Referring to key stage five members were advised that Durham’s schools and 6^th form colleges had improved and were better than national figures in to attaining places in the Russel Group of universities.

Mrs Gunn asked what support was in place for leaders.

The Head of Education and Skills responded that they run school business manager networks. If they are a maintained school, they would visit the school three times as year.

In response to a question from Councillor Deinali the Head of Education and Skills stated that they were finding it hard to appoint Head Teachers of Secondary Schools. The Head of Education and Skill suggested that progress 8 was not a one size fit all but could be easily amended to be more inclusive.

Professor Gosia M Ciesielska asked if any support was provided to children to help them pick their subject choices and to understand how their subjects would impact on their choices for university.

The Head of Education and Skills responded that the 11-16 age group schools had an open door policy and let everyone in; 11-18 age group schools had less incentive to get everyone in and lose some of their pupils. There was an expectation on the breadth of offer and careers information that should be regulated and all those levels within careers that required an independent review of inclusivity in terms of the sixth form offer.

Resolved: That the report and presentation be noted.