Closing the Gap Diagnostic Tool

CLOSING THE GAP DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR PRIMARY CLUSTERS 2011-12

Questions relating to each school in the cluster are shown in normal type face

Questions for the cluster as a whole are shown in bold

1. PRIOR ATTAINMENT

For each of the schools in your group, look at Table 3.1.1: The Prior Attainment of Pupils at Key Stage 2

What is the average points score at key stage one for your current Year 6? -----

What is the national average KS1 points score for Year 6? ------

What does RAISE show as the difference between the two? ------

Diagnostic:

If your Key stage one points score is above national averages, attainment should similarly be expected to be above national averages

If key stage one attainment is below national averages it is important that pupils are still challenged to achieve as highly as possible

Are there significant variations in attainment on entry across the schools in the cluster?

How might these variations in attainment on entry influence expectations of how different schools might perform?

2. ORGANISATIONAL VARIATION

For each school in the cluster:

Look at Table 5.1.1

What is your headline Ks1- 2 VA score for 2011? ------

What is the 95% confidence interval? ------

Does RAISE assess this score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

A sig- score suggests that at least some parts of the school are not making the progress that might be expected

However, even a sig+ score might still mask some organisational variation

What is the headline KS1-2 VA score for English in 2011? ------

What is the 95% confidence interval? ------

Does RAISE assess this score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

What is the headline KS1-2 VA score for mathematics in 2011? ------

What is the 95% confidence interval? ------

Does RAISE assess this score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

Does the data point towards significant variation in rates of progress between the two areas of the school?

· Are some English departments in the cluster achieving a significantly higher VA score than others?

· How can their practice be shared more widely across the cluster?

· Are some mathematics departments in the cluster achieving a significantly higher VA score than others?

· How can their practice be shared more widely across the cluster?

DIGGING DEEPER

Look at 5.7.1: Expected Progress School and National

What is the school’s percentage of pupils achieving the expected level of progress in English in 2011? ------

What is the national percentage of pupils achieving the expected level of progress in English in 2011? ------

Does RAISE assess the difference between the school and national score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

What is the school’s percentage of pupils achieving the expected level of progress in Mathematics in 2011? ------

What is the national percentage of pupils achieving the expected level of progress in Mathematics in 2011? ------

Does RAISE assess the difference between the school and national score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

Is the information consistent with the data for progress discussed in Table 5.1.1?

Look at Table 4.2.11: Attainment at Key Stage Two

In 2011 was attainment for the whole school above, below or in line with national averages? ------

Are these results consistent with the information in section 1 about prior attainment?

Is the information for attainment consistent with the data for progress discussed in Table 5.1.1?

Are the results for English in 2011 above, below or in line with national averages?

------

Are the results for mathematics in 2011 above, below or in line with national averages?

------

Is there significant variation in the outcomes for the two departments?

Is the information for attainment consistent with the data for progress discussed in Table 5.1.1?

Does the data point towards strong practice in either English or mathematics that can be shared across the cluster?

Other sources of data

See FFT Live/ Sets/ Main summary Reports/ Detail (school)

Note that by clicking on the ‘indicator’ button at the top of the screen it is possible to produce separate value-added data for English, mathematics and science.

Is the value-added performance for English and mathematics in line with the information within Raiseonline?

If not, what possible explanations might there be?

If both Raiseonline and FFT data are negative (blue) for English or mathematics, it is possible to say with some confidence that performance is below what it should be in that subject area.

How does performance data for science compare with that for the school as a whole?

How does it compare with performance in English and mathematics?

Does this information help to highlight any further significant gaps?

Would it help to pair departments across the cluster in specific subject areas? For example, two English subject coordinators whose areas have contrasting strengths highlighted by this data could work together.

3. SOCIO-ECONOMIC

For each school:

Look at Chart 5.6.11 and Table 5.6.12: KS1-2 Fine grades value-added

What is the headline VA figure for FSM? ------

What is the 95% confidence interval? ------

Does RAISE assess this score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

What is the headline VA figure for non FSM? ------

What is the 95% confidence interval? ------

Does RAISE assess this score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

Look at Chart 4.2.12 and Table 4.2.13: Attainment, Average Points Score at Key Stage 2

What is the average points score for FSM pupils? ------

What is the national average? ------

What is the average points score for non FSM pupils? ------

What is the national average? ------

Drawing this information together, does the data point towards a significant gap between the performance of the two groups with each individual school?

Are there significant variations in the gap between FSM and non-FSM pupils across the cluster?

How can these gaps be explained?

Are there examples of powerful practice that other schools within the cluster could learn from?

DIGGING DEEPER

For each school:

Look at Chart 5.6.1: KS1-2 Fine grades value-added in English (FSM)

Are significantly more FSM pupils below the zero value-added line?

Look at Chart 5.6.2 : KS1-2 Fine grades value-added in mathematics (FSM)

Are significantly more FSM pupils below the zero value-added line?

Look at 6.1.1: Narrowing the Gaps

What is the gap between the percentage of non-FSM and FSM pupils achieving the expected level of progress in English in 2011? ------

What is the gap between the percentage of non-FSM and FSM pupils achieving the expected level of progress in Mathematics in 2011? ------

Is this data in line with other gaps that you have observed for FSM pupils within each school?

Look at Chart 4.2.12 and Table 4.2.13: Attainment, Average Points Score at Key Stage 2

What is the average points score for FSM pupils in English? ------

What is the national average for FSM pupils in English? ------

What is the average points score for non FSM pupils in English? ------

What is the national average for non FSM pupils in English? ------

What is the average points score for FSM pupils in mathematics? ------

What is the national average for mathematics? ------

What is the average points score for non FSM pupils in mathematics? ------

What is the national average for non FSM pupils in mathematics? ------

Does the data above point to significant variation within individual schools in the achievement of FSM and non FSM pupils in either English or mathematics?

How consistent is the achievement of FSM and non FSM pupils across the two subjects?

Does the data for different schools within the cluster show significant variation?

Are schools within the cluster more successful in reducing gaps between FSM and non FSM pupils at specific levels of attainment?

How can the successes of schools with pupils at specific levels of attainment be shared across the cluster?

See FFT Live/ Sets/ significant Areas Detail (school)

Please note that the buttons at the top of the page allow you to compare different measures of value-added and the performance of pupils in English, mathematics and science. If you cannot see an area that you are looking for, click the ‘report view’ button, which will allow you to see all areas, not just those deemed as significant.

How does the attainment of FSM pupils compare with those who do not receive FSM?

FFT live has a drop down menu enabling you to measure progress according to PA (value-added) and SX (contextual value-added). How does this information compare with the VA data in Raise?

Are there significant variations in the PA and SX scores for FSM pupils across the cluster? Why are some FSM pupils in specific schools making greater progress than those in others?

Does the data in FFTlive confirm the hypotheses you have developed about the performance of schools within the cluster after exploring the data within Raiseonline? If not, can you explain any differences that have emerged? (e.g. size of cohort)

4. GENDER

For each school in the cluster:

Look at Chart 5.6.11 and Table 5.6.12: KS1-2 Fine grades value-added

What is the headline VA figure for girls? ------

What is the 95% confidence interval? ------

Does RAISE assess this score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

What is the headline VA figure for boys? ------

What is the 95% confidence interval? ------

Does RAISE assess this score as sig+/ sig-/not significant? ------

Does the data point towards significant variation in rates of progress between boys and girls?

Within Chart 5.6.11 and Table 5.6.12, RAISE further breaks down gender data according to prior attainment. Does this provide any further information about where the gaps are most marked?

Looking across the cluster, are all schools showing a similar gap in the rates of progress between girls and boys?

Are some schools being more successful in reducing gaps? How can the rest of the cluster learn from their experience?

Look at Chart 4.2.12 and Table 4.2.13: Attainment, Average Points Score at Key Stage 2

What is the average points score for males in the school? ------

What is the average points score for females in the school? ------

What is the national average? ------

Are there significant gaps in the attainment of girls and boys within each school?

Putting together this information for attainment and progress, how significant are the gender gaps within each school?

Are there similar gaps in attainment between girls and boys across the cluster?

Have some schools in the cluster succeeded in reducing the gap in attainment? Are they the same schools who reduced the gap in terms of progress? How can the experiences of these schools be shared across the cluster?

DIGGING DEEPER

Look at 5.7.1

What is the gap between the school and national figures for expected level of progress in English by boys in 2011? ------

What is the gap between the school and national figures for expected level of progress in English by girls in 2011? ------

Are there significant variations between the two genders in each school?

What is the gap between the school and national figures for expected level of progress in mathematics by boys in 2011? ------

What is the gap between the school and national figures for expected level of progress in mathematics by girls in 2011? ------

Are there significant variations between the two genders in each school ?

Look at Chart 5.6.3: KS1-2 Fine grades value-added (Gender)

Is there a pattern in the number of boys or girls below the zero value-added line?

Does this data help to explain the gaps related to gender that exist across the cluster?

Look at Chart 4.2.12 and Table 4.2.13: Attainment, Average Points Score at Key Stage 2

What is the average points score for boys in English? ------

What is the national average for boys in English? ------

What is the average points score for girls in English? ------

What is the national average for girls in English? ------

What is the average points score for boys in mathematics? ------

What is the national average for boys in mathematics? ------

What is the average capped points score for girls in mathematics? ------

What is the national average for girls in mathematics? ------

Does the data above point to significant variation in the achievement of boys and girls in either English or mathematics within each school?

Does information such as cohort size help to explain variations in performance across the cluster?

Are some schools within the cluster more successful in reducing variation in the achievement of boys and girls in English or mathematics? If so, how can their successful practice be shared across the cluster?

See FFT Live/ Sets/ significant Areas Detail (school)

Are there significant differences between the attainment of girls and boys?

Are any variations consistent across English, mathematics and science, or is there significant variation across the three subjects?

How does the attainment of each gender vary according to their attainment band?

FFT live has a drop down menu enabling you to measure progress according to PA (value-added) and SX (contextual value-added).

Are there significant variations in the progress made by each gender (either a whole or when broken into sub groups measured by attainment)?

Are there any significant variations across the past three years?

Do the PA and SX value-added analyses provide further information about variations in the rate of progress between boys and girls across the cluster?

5. ETHNICITY

For each school:

Look at Chart 5.6.9 and Table 5.6.10: KS1-2 Fine grades value-added Ethnic Groups