TOPIC GROUP AGENDA ITEM 3

HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
ACHIEVEMENT PANEL
THURSDAY 7 MARCH 2002 AT 10.00 AM
COMMITTEE ROOM C, COUNTY HALL / Agenda Item No:
2

THE ACHIEVEMENT OF BOYS AND STANDARDS OF ATTAINMENT AT KEY STAGE 3 IN RELATION TO BEHAVIOUR AND FIXED TERM EXCLUSIONS

Report of the Director of Children, Schools and Families

Author:Jenny Newman, Principal Adviser for School Improvement, School Standards and Curriculum Division

Tel: 01582 830329

1Purpose

1.1To provide the Achievement Panel with a report that builds on the earlier scrutiny of boys’ achievement and all pupils’ attainment at Key Stage 3.

1.2To assimilate within this report the impact of behaviour on achievement and matters arising from the earlier consideration of exclusions.

1.3To bring forward options for policy development.

2Summary

2.1This report comprises three sections. The first section is an overview that summarises the outcomes of scrutiny to remind members of the issues of boys’ achievement and all pupils at Key Stage 3. The second section suggests a relationship between boys’ behaviour and underachievement and looks at the interrelation of this with fixed term exclusion. The third section suggests strategies and approaches arising from new information, including the 14-19 curriculum and Out of School Hours Learning (OSHL).

2.2Finally there is a summary of options presented to the Panel.

2.3Two teachers will share their research and experience with members of the Achievement Panel on related matters.

2.4Further development of the Scrutiny Committee paper on casual admissions is related to this paper with regard to the readmission of excluded pupils and those permanently excluded who need readmission to other schools or provision. Other aspects of handling casual admissions will be dealt with by the Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on March 20th.

3Conclusion

3.1Members of the Achievement Panel are asked to consider issues arising from this report and recommend options for further policy development to Cabinet.
1.Overview

1.1It is clear that achievement of pupils in Hertfordshire schools is generally good and compares favourably with pupils nationally. However, the summary of outcomes from previous reports highlights a need to close the performance gap between boys and girls, particularly in secondary schools, and the need for improvement at Key Stage 3 (see appendix 1). New approaches need to be found to fuel the next phase of improvement. New and different ways to raise standards are being explored as part of the next phase of development of the Children, Schools and Families service.

1.2During scrutiny of the previous report on standards members asked for:

  • a comparison of the performance of boys in single sex schools and co-educational schools
  • a study of work in other authorities, and
  • common factors between schools
  • A comparison was made between the performance of boys in single sex secondary schools compared to those in co-educational schools. The most accurate form of comparison is value-added data. Pupils in boys’ secondary schools in Hertfordshire do not make as much progress between Key Stage 3 and 4 as those boys in similar co-educational schools. This is measured against KS3 attainment and total point score for GCSE/GNVQ. These comparisons should be treated with some caution because of the small number of boys’ schools in the county.
  • The work in three other LEAs was studied. One of the studies describes the experiences of a co-educational school in Essex that teaches pupils for most subjects in single sex groups. A small study in West Sussex identified key features of successful teaching in schools where boys were making better progress than girls. Currently both of these studies present inconclusive evidence of the impact of the strategies to improve the performance, motivation and attitude of boys to learning. These studies are described in appendix 2.
  • Medway Towns LEA is undertaking intensive research with CambridgeUniversity on the impact of formative assessment and short-term targets with pupils. Evidence suggests that whole school use of this strategy can result in pupils reaching two grades higher at GCSE.
  • A common factor that has impact on achievement is the quality of teaching and learning. Data from OfSTED inspections at Key Stages 1 and 2 indicate that the quality of teaching in Hertfordshire schools is in line with statistical neighbours and LEAs nationally. In 2000 teaching at Key Stage 1 in Hertfordshire schools was higher than in other LEAs with 79% of lessons judged good and better.

1.7The quality of teaching at Key Stages 3 and 4 is not as good. It is significantly below that of our statistical neighbours and LEAs nationally. The percentage of lessons at Key Stage 3 judged as good and better during 1996-9 was 45% compared with 63% for statistical neighbours and 59% for other LEAs.

1.8There is a correlation between those schools with the highest number of free school meals (FSM) and the need for additional support in English at Key Stage 3. Of the 45 schools receiving additional support for English in 2001/02 all but four were in FSM bands 9% or higher. All 3 Hertfordshire schools in the 21-35% band were supported, 8 of 15 in the 13-21% and 8 of 12 in 9-13% band. This support is particularly focused on methods that motivate boys.

2Behaviour and the impact on achievement

2.1OfSTED data shows that pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to school at all key stages are in line with those pupils in other LEAs and there is little relationship with the data for teaching quality. However, attendance and the procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance in secondary schools are slightly below statistical neighbours (66% good and better compared with 76% good and better for statistical neighbours) and almost in line with other LEAs (69% good or better).

2.2The Scrutiny Committee paper giving information about exclusions, at its meeting on 23 January 2002, provides details of the number of fixed term exclusions as a percentage of the school population by District Council (see appendix 3). The number of permanent exclusions has dropped since 1998, but fixed term exclusions have risen and vary between districts.

2.382% of all fixed term exclusions in Hertfordshire are boys and 60% of all fixed term exclusions are boys in secondary schools. Out of the 216 permanent exclusions for 2000/1 88% of these pupils were boys (see appendix 4).

2.4Appendix 5 shows the rise in fixed term exclusions in years 8, 9 and 10. This indicates behaviour and disaffection trends at this age.

2.5There is evidence to suggest that schools who readmit an excluded pupil or accept an excluded pupil from another school as a casual admission need to offer considerable support to that pupil. The issues that the child faced in their first school may recur in the next school. This often results in poor attendance or disruptive behaviour in the classroom.

2.6Casual admissions affect disproportionately 17 secondary schools that are not full in all years. These receiving schools are often those that are already facing particular challenges in raising standards.

2.7Hertfordshire has eight ESCs and seven secondary schools with funded inclusion units. The work of these units in providing support for disruptive pupils is being investigated and will be brought forward in a paper to the Achievement Panel on May 16th.

3 Policy development

3.1Many LEAs are concentrating teaching approaches to impact on visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners (VAK). This approach has also had a positive impact on the behaviour, motivation and the achievement of boys. Some Hertfordshire teachers are pursuing research based on formative assessment and learning as part of their higher degree studies.

3.2With the national roll out of the five strands of the Key Stage 3 teaching and learning strategy in September 2002 there should be considerable impact on Year 7 and 8 standards and eventually Year 9. The strategy focuses on many of the features of teaching that has an impact on all pupils but particularly boys. Lessons are tightly structured; pupils are actively involved in their own learning and thinking skills are developed; lessons are varied; regular feedback assists pupils to reach their targets. This year there will be an added emphasis on the disaffected pupil in year 8 (often boys). The scheme is based on the successful mentoring programme that has been piloted in Excellence in Cities (EIC) schools. Pupils who have been identified as underachieving across subjects (not just English and mathematics) will meet with their mentor on a regular basis to assess progress.

3.3StrathclydeUniversity completed a study into the effects of participation in out of school hours learning (OSHL) on academic attainment, attitudes and attendance of secondary school pupils in June 2001. The research found firm evidence in all schools studied that pupils who participate in study support do better than would have been predicted in attainment, attitudes to school and attendance at school than pupils who do not participate. The effects are significant (an average of three and a half grades or one more A*-C pass at GCSE). There is some evidence in Hertfordshire of the impact on pupil behaviour and attitude to learning when they participate in learning through this extended curriculum and when planning for this provision is part of the school development plan.

3.4New policy to change curriculum models at Key Stage 4 could have a positive impact on boys’ attitudes to learning. Extracts from the recent Green Paper “14-19: extending opportunities, raising standards” (appendix 6) provide a number of avenues:

  • The introduction of applied GCSEs should have a positive impact on achievement and motivation (para 3.29)
  • There will be opportunities for work-related learning and part time placements in colleges (paras 3.13 and3.14)
  • Modern apprenticeships will be developed (para 3.28)

4Options for consideration

4.1Members are invited to consider the following approaches and their likely impact on improving the standards of attainment of boys in Hertfordshire schools:

  • Produce and disseminate guidance materials to schools identifying the key features of success in schools that have:
  • Very good attendance;
  • Low exclusion;
  • Little or no unsatisfactory teaching as judged by OfSTED;
  • Good standards of behaviour;
  • A high proportion of boys attaining high standards.

In order to produce these materials a survey will be undertaken and case studies produced.

  • Pilot single sex teaching in willing secondary schools and evaluate the impact on the achievement of boys and girls by:
  • Identifying willing participants;
  • Supporting them in designing a curriculum model and structures to allow single sex teaching;
  • Undertake an evaluation.
  • A more detailed scrutiny of all issues surrounding casual admissions will be presented to the Scrutiny Committee in March when members can agree a range of procedures, for example establishing a moratorium on casual admissions to specified year groups and in specified schools.
  • The DfES criteria for Key Stage 3 additional support to schools gives guidance on how that support should be allocated. However, in Hertfordshire schools we could also target additional support to those schools that have a high proportion of unsatisfactory teaching and those schools in the lower quartile of value-added in order to address our particular issues.
  • A more detailed paper on options for 14-19 year olds will be considered at the meeting of the Achievement Panel on May 16th. These will be developed from the Green Paper and include options surrounding the construction of a different curriculum, particularly in Key Stage 4.
  • Produce guidance materials and provide training to support schools in embedding Out of School Hours Learning (OSHL) into their school development plan.

5Financial Implications

£8,000 for surveys, dissemination, curriculum design and publication of case studies.

Background information referred to by the author whilst compiling this report.

  • DfES: Green Paper: Extending Opportunities and Raising Standards for 14 to 19 year olds (2002)
  • DfES: Boys’ Underachievement at School: Research and Intervention Project (2000-3)
  • Arnott and Gubb: Adding Value to Girls’ and Boys’ Education
  • Select Committee Paper: Scrutiny of Standards of Attainment in KS3 and the Attainment of Boys in all Key Stages
  • Scrutiny Committee Paper: Casual Admissions in Secondary Schools
  • Scrutiny Committee Paper: Fixed Term Exclusions
  • MacBeath, Kirwan and Myers: The Impact of Study Support

If you would like to know more about the issues in this report please contact Jenny Newman

Tel: 01582 830329

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 1

1.Standards of boys’ attainment in all key stages

1.1In English tests girls still outperform boys, with a more pronounced difference in later Key Stages. In Key Stage 1 there is no overall subject level. In both reading and writing 82% of boys attain level 2+, and girls 91% - a difference of 9%. At level 3+, girls are ahead by 8% in both reading and writing.

1.2In Key Stage 2 English the difference between the attainment of boys and girls at level 4+ is 11% (boys 75%, girls 84%). Girls’ results are higher than boys’ in reading by 4%, but by 14% in writing: differences in 2000 were 3% and 15% respectively. At level 5+ the gap has widened in both areas with girls ahead by 9% to 11%. In English at Key Stage 3, girls’ attainment is 20% higher than boys’.

1.3In mathematics in Key Stage 1, there is no significant difference at level 2+. At level 3+ boys attain higher results than girls (boys 34%, girls 28%) and boys’ results have improved more than girls’ since 2000. In Key Stages 2 and 3 there is still little difference between the performance of girls and boys, and trends in gender patterns are not significant.

1.4In science, there are no tests at Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2, there is little gender difference at level 4+. At level 5+, though girls marginally outperform boys, boys’ results have improved more than girls’ (boys up 3% since 2000, girls down 1%).

1.5In Hertfordshire at Key Stage 4, 56.3% of pupils attained 5+ A*-C grades compared with 43% nationally. Girls outperformed boys by 11.5 percentage points.

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 2

Work in neighbouring schools

1.1A study commissioned by West Sussex and carried out by CambridgeUniversity identified 7 secondary schools where boys were making better progress in value added terms than girls. They all retained mixed gender classes; however, the responses to the problem in this very small sample were diverse. Strategies used were:

  • Tightly structured lessons
  • Teacher directed seating plans
  • Use of “boy friendly” texts and modular GCSE courses
  • Regular descriptive feedback
  • Rewards and prizes
  • Varied lessons with a clear sequence of achievable tasks
  • Learning targets for each task
  • Improved procedures for revision
  • Traditional forms of discipline

However, the study suggests that these strategies designed to raise boys’ achievement may have a detrimental effect on girls.

1.2MoulshamHigh school is a large co-educational comprehensive in Essex. In many lessons girls and boys are kept separate. They are divided into single sex teaching groups in all subjects at Key Stage 3, and in English, mathematics and science at Key stage 4. Their latest OfSTED report (2000) states that

“results in national tests for 14 year olds have been consistently above the national averages. In mathematics they are………… above those for similar schools. In English they are above average for all schools and average for similar schools. This masks the proportion of girls reaching the expected level……which in English is very high in comparison with the national figure, whilst the proportion of boys reaching the expected level is just in line with national averages…………..this suggests that the school is more effective at preparing girls for the demands of the Key Stage 3 tests than boys.”

The 2001 summary of key stage results suggest that boys and girls perform well above average in English, mathematics and science and in mathematics boys achieve 1% higher than girls. In English boys’ results are well above average, although lower than girls’.

1.3In another Essex school (King Edmund) they have acted on the advice of an education consultant and created a balance of gender in all sets. For example, the “top” 15 boys have been paired with the “top” 15 girls and so on. It is too early to judge the impact of this pilot on standards.

All the above examples are based on very small studies and it too early in the research to come to any worthwhile conclusions.

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 3

Permanent Exclusions (all sectors)

Shown as percentage of total pupil population

01/09/00 to 31/08/01

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 3

Fixed Term Exclusions (all sectors)

Shown as percentage of total pupil population

01/09/00 to 31/08/01

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 4

Permanent Exclusions (all sectors)

01/09/00 to 31/08/01

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 4

Fixed term exclusions (all sectors)

01/09/00 to 31/08/01

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 4

Fixed Term Exclusions for 2000 to 2001 as at 25/02/02
Female / Female Total / Male / Male Total / Total
Primary / Secondary / Special / Primary / Secondary / Special
BROXBOURNE / 6 / 73 / 79 / 47 / 372 / 31 / 450 / 529
DACORUM / 6 / 83 / 14 / 103 / 111 / 296 / 131 / 538 / 641
EAST HERTFORDSHIRE / 2 / 48 / 2 / 52 / 14 / 212 / 31 / 257 / 309
HERTSMERE / 9 / 98 / 107 / 117 / 364 / 23 / 504 / 611
NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE / 4 / 81 / 85 / 104 / 341 / 83 / 528 / 613
ST ALBANS / 4 / 118 / 59 / 181 / 32 / 454 / 102 / 588 / 769
STEVENAGE / 10 / 86 / 96 / 63 / 359 / 41 / 463 / 559
THREE RIVERS / 5 / 21 / 1 / 27 / 39 / 30 / 7 / 76 / 103
WATFORD / 2 / 71 / 73 / 22 / 167 / 189 / 262
WELWYN HATFIELD / 14 / 89 / 103 / 118 / 434 / 1 / 553 / 656
Total / 62 / 768 / 76 / 906 / 667 / 3029 / 450 / 4146 / 5052
Permanent Exclusion for 2000/01 as at 25/02/02
Female / Female Total / Male / Male Total / Total
Primary / Secondary / Special / Primary / Secondary / Special
BROXBOURNE / 1 / 2 / 3 / 5 / 13 / 18 / 21
DACORUM / 4 / 1 / 5 / 4 / 13 / 2 / 19 / 24
EAST HERTFORDSHIRE / 1 / 1 / 1 / 21 / 4 / 26 / 27
HERTSMERE DISTRICT / 5 / 5 / 2 / 16 / 1 / 19 / 24
NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE / 1 / 1 / 7 / 15 / 22 / 23
ST ALBANS / 1 / 4 / 5 / 5 / 17 / 1 / 23 / 28
STEVENAGE / 2 / 2 / 7 / 16 / 23 / 25
THREE RIVERS / 2 / 2 / 7 / 4 / 11 / 13
WATFORD / 1 / 1 / 2 / 2 / 4 / 6 / 8
WELWYN HATFIELD / 5 / 18 / 23 / 23
Total / 3 / 22 / 1 / 26 / 45 / 137 / 8 / 190 / 216

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 5

Number of fixed period exclusions (5 days or more)

per school year group 01/09/00 to 31/08/01

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Achievement Panel 07/03/02Item 2Appendix 6

Extracts from the DfES Green Paper on extending opportunities and raising standards for 14 to 19 year olds