St Helens School Performance Overview – Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5,

January 2019 Contents:

Executive Summary ...... 3 Introduction ...... 5 Government Education Initiatives and their impact on the LA ...... 6 Attainment in St Helens ...... 6 Key Stage 4...... 6 Key Stage 5...... 13 Progress Measures ...... 16 Progress Measures at Key Stage 4 ...... 16 Closing the Gaps ...... 18 Key Stage 4...... 18 Recommendations for the Way Forward ...... 20 Conclusion...... 20

2 Executive Summary

This paper reviews the last academic year and reflects on the outcomes achieved by children and young people educated in secondary schools in St Helens. The report is provided to offer elected members a broad overview on the educational outcomes achieved in the St Helens secondary school sector, highlighting areas for improvement along with recommendations to consider.

At Key Stage 4 in 2018 collective outcomes achieved in St Helens improved slightly compared to the previous year but significant work is required to ensure that the academic progress students educated in St Helens achieve in their Key Stage 4 studies matches and surpasses national averages.

 In terms of average attainment, Attainment 8, the outcome reported for St Helens has increased relative to the previous year and stands at 44.6 with St Helens one of only a minority of LAs in the NW region to show an improvement in average attainment between 2017 and 2018. However, the attainment 8 score reported for 2018, whilst an improvement on the previous year, remains below the regional (45.7) and national average (46.6).

 In terms of an initial overview the GCSE results reported for St Helens offer some areas of improvement compared to 2017, however, taken as a whole the KS4 2018 results for St Helens continue to remain disappointing. Outcomes at Key Stage 4 particularly with regard to students’ rates of progress compare unfavourably with national averages for progress (Progress 8).

 The progress that students make between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 remains an issue of significant concern with students educated in St Helens continuing, on average, to make significantly less progress than that made by other pupils nationally. In addition, pupils educated in St Helens continue to make significantly less progress than they should in the core academic curriculum offer of English, Mathematics and the English Baccalaureate subjects. As a consequence a substantial number of schools located in St Helens continue to achieve rates of progress that are below average and for a minority of schools rates of progress that are well below average and below the governments KS4 floor standard.

 Disadvantaged young people educated in St Helens make less progress and achieve, on average, outcomes at Key Stage 4 that are below those achieved by non-disadvantaged pupils in the borough and disadvantaged young people nationally.

 In 2018, the average A level grade achieved by students educated at a Post 16 provider in St Helens was broadly the same as that achieved, on average, regionally and nationally.

The main responsibility for improving outcomes for our children and young people lies with school leadership teams. They remain accountable for their school’s own performance through external inspection, and through governors and the local authority challenging them, where necessary, on outcomes and their effectiveness as leaders of education. However, the LA is committed to working with and supporting schools to improve and address the key issues underlying

3 underperformance at Key Stage 4. Later in this paper we set out some actions the LA has taken to prompt school improvement along with recommendations for members to consider.

4 Introduction

1. This paper outlines the picture on educational performance in St Helens at Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. The headlines are supported by further detail and analyses in subsequent sections. The paper opens with commentary on attainment over Key Stage 4 to 5; then explores progress measures and is followed by a further section on closing the gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. It concludes with some recommendations for Cabinet members to consider.

2. The information presented within this report covers exclusively the two of the three main phase of education:

 Secondary education - Children receive compulsory secondary education from ages 11-16. It covers key stage 3 and key stage 4 of the national curriculum. The information presented in this report illustrates the achievements of pupils at the end of secondary education (Key Stage 4 (KS4)).

 Post 16 education - The majority of young people continue to participate in education at age 16-18, studying advanced level qualifications such as A-levels or vocational qualifications in schools or colleges. The information presented in this report summarises the achievements of 16-18 year olds when they reach the end of advanced level study in St Helens schools and colleges.

The following table sets out the framework that was in place for assessment in 2018.

Key Stage Age Academic Assessment and expected attainment Year

Key stage 4 Ages 14- Years 10 KS4 exams – Pupils work toward national qualifications, (KS4) 16 and 11 which are usually GCSEs, but also include other approved KS4 qualifications. Key Stage 5 Ages 16- Years 12 KS5 exams - Pupils work toward national qualifications, (KS5) 18 and 13 which are usually GCE A levels, but also include other approved academic and vocational KS5 qualifications.

5 Government Education Initiatives and their impact on the LA

3. Members may well be aware of the changes to the educational landscape induced by the Education Act 2011, which served to confirm the direction of travel on main phase education in England – increased school autonomy; a lower profile for an LA’s School Effectiveness Services; and an escalation in the role of academies, alongside initiatives such as free schools and studio schools.

4. St Helens LA’s School Effectiveness Service has adapted to meet the challenges of that Act, principally through review of the service and the LA’s Strategy in this field. That latter document, revised and published to schools in October 2015 after Cabinet sign off, categorises schools into three bands: Band A - good or outstanding schools; Band B – schools judged to require improvement or at risk of decline; and Band C - schools in categories of concern. The LA’s work with schools is focused on schools placed in Bands B and c.

5. A major central government initiative came into play in 2016. The Education and Adoption Act 2016 requires the Secretary of State to academise a school judged by Ofsted to be inadequate. It also requires the school’s governing body, and the relevant LA, to facilitate the academisation process. The Government’s direction of travel in education is clear – along with an increased role for the Regional School Commissioners, central government envisages greater school autonomy, and a significantly diminished role for the LA. The LA has a duty to promote high standards in its schools and continues to work with them to improve outcomes for children and young people in St Helens. We have set out, in more detail below, the principal educational outcomes for children and young people in St Helens in 2017/18, along with analyses.

Attainment in St Helens

Key Stage 4

6. In October 2013, the Department for Education (DfE) announced the implementation of a new secondary school accountability system that was subsequently delivered in 2016. The revised secondary school accountability system has a number of new headline KS4 measures - see below:

 Progress across 8 qualifications (Progress 8)

 Attainment across the same 8 qualifications (Attainment 8)

 The percentage of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths

 The percentage of pupils entering the English Baccalaureate (EBacc)

 EBacc average point score per pupil – a new measure for this year (2018)

 The percentage of students staying in education or employment after key stage 4 (destinations)

6 7. The performance measures listed previously replace long standing and widely recognised measures such as the percentage of students achieving 5+ GCSEs at grades A*-C including English and maths (5ACEM) headline measure, and the expected progress measures.

8. In 2018, an additional 20 reformed GCSEs graded on a 9-1 scale were sat by pupils for the first time, along with the English language, English literature and mathematics GCSEs which were reformed in 2017. Further reformed GCSEs in other subjects will be phased in over the next 3 years.

9. The reformed GCSEs use a 9 to 1 grading system, with 9 being the top grade. A similar proportion of pupils achieving a grade 7 or above would have previously achieved a grade A or above, pupils achieving a grade 4 or above would have previously achieved grade C or above and pupils achieving grade 1 or above would have previously achieved grade G or above. Eventually all GCSEs taken in England will receive numerical grades.

10. Attainment 8, one of the key, headline performance metrics at Key Stage 4, measures the achievement of a pupil across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted) and English (double weighted), 3 further qualifications that count in the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) measure and 3 further qualifications that can be GCSE qualifications (including Ebacc subjects) or any other non-GCSE qualifications on the DfE approved list. The following table provides an overview on the collective Attainment 8 Score over the past four years.

Table 1: Average Key Stage 4 Attainment – Attainment 8 Score

Average Attainment 8 score per pupil1 Region/ Local Authority 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18

St. Helens 46.2 48.9 44.1 44.6

North West 47.8 49.4 45.6 45.7

England (State-funded sector only) 48.6 50.1 46.5 46.6

England (All Schools) 47.4 48.5 44.6 44.5

St Helens National Rank (1=highest, 151=lowest) 120 101 118 107

11. The average Attainment 8 (A8) score per pupil reported for St Helens has increased in comparison to the previous year and whilst the gap in average attainment between St Helens and comparators has narrowed in 2018 it is still the case that average attainment for students educated in St Helens remains below regional and state funded national averages.

1 Attainment 8 and Progress 8 are part of the new secondary accountability system that was implemented for all schools from 2016. Users should be cautious when comparing Attainment 8 scores between 2017 and 2016. In 2018, Attainment 8 had a maximum point score of 90, compared to a maximum of 87 to 2017, as a result of the phased introduction of reformed GCSEs. This difference should be taken into account when considering any change in Attainment 8 scores between 2017 and 2018

7 Chart 1: Average Key Stage 4 Attainment – Attainment 8 Score – NW Regional Overview

8 Trafford 56.8

Wirral 48.8

Cheshire East 48.8

Stockport 47.3

Warrington 47.2

Lancashire 46.7

Cumbria 46.7

England (State Funded) 46.6

Cheshire West and Chester 46.4

Blackburn with Darwen 45.8

Wigan 45.3

Bury 45.2

Sefton 44.9

St. Helens 44.6

Bolton 44.6

Halton 44.2

Tameside 43.9

Rochdale 43.5

Liverpool 43.5

Manchester 43.2

Oldham 42.7

Salford 41.0

Blackpool 38.5

Knowsley 35.3

0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0

2018 Average Attainment 8 Score per pupil

9 12. Attainment 8 (A8) measures the average achievement of pupils in up to 8 qualifications including English (double weighted if the combined English qualification, or both language and literature are taken), maths (double weighted), three further qualifications that count in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) and three further qualifications that can be GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or any other non-GCSE qualifications on the DfE approved list of qualifications. The following table provides an overview of the score in each of the component areas of the A8 measure.

Table 2: Average attainment score per component element of the Attainment 8 (2018)

Average score per Region/ Average score per pupil in each element: pupil in the open element in:

English non- Local Authority English Mathematics Open GCSEs Baccalaureate2 GCSEs

St. Helens 9.4 8.7 12.2 14.3 10.3 4.0 North West 9.8 8.8 13.0 14.1 11.9 2.2 England (State-funded sector) 9.9 9.1 13.4 14.2 12.1 2.2 England (All Schools) 9.4 8.5 13.0 13.7 11.7 2.0

St Helens National Rank (1 = 115 93 126 55 129 9 highest, 151 = lowest)

13. The average attainment score in the Open element are broadly similar to regional and national (state funded) averages. However, the average attainment score, essentially the average grade achieved by students educated in a St Helens school for English, Maths and particularly the English Baccalaureate subjects are below those achieved, on average, regionally and nationally (state funded).

14. The EBacc is made up of English, maths, science, a language, and history or geography. At the end of the recent 2017/2018 academic year, 37.8% of students educated in St Helens were entered for the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc). In St Helens the proportion of pupils entering the EBacc decreased by 1.4 percentage points since 2017, remaining above the comparable regional average (34.3%) but below the national average (38.5%).

Table 3: Percentage of Pupils entered onto the English Baccalaureate (EBacc)

Local Authority, Region and England 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

St Helens 28.2% 31.3% 31.4% 36.5% 39.2% 37.8%

North West 35.5% 38.6% 34.7% 37.5% 34.6% 34.3%

England - State Funded Schools only 35.5% 38.7% 38.7% 39.8% 38.2% 38.5%

2 The English Baccalaureate element includes the three highest point scores from any of the English Baccalaureate qualifications in science subjects, computer science, history, geography, and languages.

10 15. The percentage of students educated in St Helens and entered for Ebacc Science and Humanities increased between 2017 and 2018. The majority of students in St Helens completing their KS4 studies in 2018 were entered for GCSEs in English, Mathematics, Science and a Humanities subject. However, as is also the case nationally, the proportion of students entered for an Ebacc Language qualification has decreased from 46.7% in 2017 to 42.3% of students.

Table 5: Percentage of pupils entered for the components of the English Baccalaureate

English Baccalaureate subject areas Number of pupils Region/ Percentage of pupils entered for the components of the at the end Local Authority1 English Baccalaureate: key stage 4 History or English Maths Sciences3 Languages Geography

St. Helens 1,732 96.6% 97.6% 96.1% 82.7% 42.3%

North West 71,555 95.9% 97.5% 95.2% 76.4% 42.7%

England (State Funded Sector) 521,202 96.0% 97.4% 95.6% 78.5% 46.1%

England (All Schools) 583,617 89.2% 91.3% 89.3% 74.1% 45.3%

16. The proportion of students educated in St Helens and entered for EBacc Science Ebacc Sciences

qualifications has increased from 90.3% of Sciences 100 students in 2017 to 96.1% of students in 2018. Ebacc 90

The increase in the proportion of pupils for entered for Ebacc Sciences reported last 80

year is part of a more extensive recent trend entered

70 with greater numbers of pupils locally, St Helens Pupils regionally and nationally entered for Ebacc % 60 Sciences. The proportion of students England educated St Helens and entered for Ebacc 50 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Sciences in 2018 is above regional (95.2%) and national averages (95.6%) Year

3 It is compulsory for state-funded schools to teach science at key stage 4. For EBacc science, a pupil must enter: – three individual sciences (three out of biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science);or – combined science 2018 is the first year to be taught the new combined science, which replaced core and additional science in previous years.

11 17. In terms of EBacc Humanities, the History or Geography proportion of students educated in 100.0 St Helens and entered for a History Humanities 90.0

or Geography GCSE qualification Ebacc for continues to increase, from 79.8% of 80.0 students in 2017 to 82.7% of students 70.0 in 2018. The proportion of students entered St Helens

Pupils 60.0

educated in St Helens and entered

% England for History or Geography is in 2018 50.0 higher than the proportion of pupils 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 entered regionally (76.4%) and Year nationally (78.5%).

18. As is also the case nationally, the Languages proportion of students entered for 70 Languages St Helens Ebacc Languages continued to England decrease from 46.7% of pupils in Ebacc 60 for 2017 to 42.3% of students in 2018. 50 The proportion of pupils educated entered in St Helens in 2018 and entered for 40 Pupils

a GCSE Language qualification is % similar to that regional entry rates 30 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 (42.7%) but below national entry Year rates (46.1%).

19. From 2018, the headline EBacc attainment measure is the EBacc average point score (EBacc APS). This replaces the previous threshold EBacc attainment measure. EBacc APS measures pupils’ point scores across the five pillars (English, Maths, Science, Humanities and Languages) of the EBacc – with a zero for any missing pillars – providing an indication of the average grade achieved.

Table 4: Ebacc Attainment – 2017/2018 academic year

Number English Baccalaureate (EBacc) of pupils Average Percentage Percentage Region/ at the Attainment Percentage of EBacc of pupils of pupils Local Authority end of 8 score per pupils entered Average who who key pupil for all Point Score achieved all achieved all stage 4 components per pupil components components (9-5) (9-4) St. Helens 1732 44.6 37.8% 3.75 11.8% 19.1% North West 71555 45.7 34.3% 3.91 14.7% 21.6% England (State Funded Sector) 521202 46.6 38.5% 4.05 16.8% 24.2% England (All Schools) 583617 44.5 35.2% 3.85 15.4% 22.2%

St Helens National Rank (1=highest, 151=lowest) 107 75 116 126 117

20. The average EBacc points score, essentially the average GCSE grade achieved across the range of qualifications in question, for students educated in St Helens in 2018 was 3.75, marginally below regional (3.91) and below national attainment (4.05) averages. The 12 proportion of students in 2018 who achieved a ‘strong pass’, a grade 5 or above, in all EBacc subject areas was 11.8%, again below comparable regional (14.7%) and England (16.8%). In summary students educated in St Helens achieved, on average, lower outcomes across the EBacc family of qualifications in comparison to national averages both in terms of the average GCSE grade achieved and the proportion of students achieving either a standard or strong pass in the Ebacc.

21. Table 5 provides a more detailed overview on the EBacc average point score per pupil for each subject component of the EBacc. As this is a new measure, there is no comparison available for earlier years. The maximum EBacc average point score is 10.75. Some subjects’ EBacc APS is heavily affected by the number of pupils not sitting these subjects and thus scoring zero

Table 5: Average Point Score for the English Baccalaureate components

Average Point Score (Average Grade) for the English Baccalaureate components:

History or English Maths Sciences Languages Geography

St. Helens 4.67 4.36 4.12 3.47 1.74 North West 4.86 4.41 4.38 3.36 2.06 England (State Funded Sector) 4.95 4.53 4.51 3.56 2.26 England (All Schools) 4.60 4.20 4.20 3.40 2.30 St Helens National Rank (1=highest, 151=lowest) 119 99 123 84 126

22. The average grade achieved in 2018 by students educated in St Helens is lower than comparable national averages across all the subject areas of the Ebacc. Across the subject areas in question the average GCSE grade achieved in Ebacc Science and Ebacc Languages are well below average.

Table 6: English and Mathematics GCSEs

Percentage of pupils achieving a Percentage of pupils achieving a standard pass (9-4) in GCSE strong pass (9-5) in GCSE English & English & GCSE Maths GCSE Maths

2017 2018 (+/-) 2017 2018 (+/-) St. Helens 60.8% 60.3% -0.5% 37.8% 38.8% +1.0%

North West 62.7% 62.9% +0.2% 40.3% 41.2% +0.9%

England (State Funded Sector) 64.2% 64.4% +0.2% 42.9% 43.5% +0.6%

England (All Schools) 59.1% 59.4% +0.3% 39.6% 40.2% +0.6%

St Helens National Rank (1=highest, 151=lowest) 104 115 114 115

23. The percentage of students educated in St Helens achieving a ‘Strong’ pass (9-5) in their English and Mathematics GCSE has increased compared to the previous year and at a greater rate than that reported, on average, regionally and nationally. However, it is still the

13 case that the percentage of students in St Helens attaining a strong pass in GCSE English and Maths continues to remain below regional and national averages. Across St Helens there remains significant variation in outcomes between schools with 67% of students at Rainford High achieving a strong pass in GCSE English and Maths compared to 27% of students at Haydock High.

Key Stage 5

24. Five of the St Helens secondary schools offer sixth form provision. The borough also contains Carmel College - one of the most successful sixth form colleges in the country. , a further education provider principally offering vocational qualifications, is also in the LA’s area. While Carmel’s performance in academic subjects is strong, attainment and progress at A level in our secondary schools remains variable. The table below illustrates the average A level grade achieved in 2017/2018 by students educated in St Helens compared to regional and national averages.

Table 7: A level cohort attainment (All Providers) – 2017/2018

Number of students at the Average point score Average point score end of 16-18 study with an A per A level entry per A level entry level exam entry expressed as a grade

St Helens 1,173 32.82 C+

North West 36,960 32.68 C+

England 326,897 33.33 C+

25. In 2018, the average A level grade achieved by students educated at a Post 16 provider in St Helens is broadly the same as that achieved, on average, regionally and nationally. Similarly, the proportion of A level exam entries taken in St Helens in 2017 that resulted in a grade A* to E was broadly the same as that achieved in England. However, the percentage of A level students educated in St Helens (14.8%) achieving grades AAB or better at A level is below regional (17.7%) and national averages (21.1%).

26. Whilst the average attainment at A level for St Helens, based on all Post 16 providers, is broadly similar to that achieved nationally, the average A level outcome in the St Helens state school sector in 2018 continues to be below that achieved, on average, across the comparable state school sector regionally and nationally, as illustrated in the table below.

Table 8: A level cohort attainment (State Funded Schools only) – 2017/2018

Number of students at the Average point score Average point score end of 16-18 study with an A per A level entry per A level entry level exam entry expressed as a grade

14 Number of students at the Average point score Average point score end of 16-18 study with an A per A level entry per A level entry level exam entry expressed as a grade

St Helens 323 28.79 C

North West 18,885 31.90 C+

England 232,035 33.87 C+

27. However, A level attainment amongst the various state funded schools in St Helens varies considerably. The following table illustrates the average A level grade achieved in 2018 by each of the state funded schools in St Helens.

Table 9: A level cohort attainment (State Funded Schools) – 2017/2018

Number of Average point students at the Average point score per A end of 16-18 Institution name score per A level entry study with an A level entry expressed as a level exam grade entry

Cowley International College 73 25.13 C- 21 22.83 D+ Rainford High Technology College 115 32.08 C+ 80 31.37 C The Sutton Academy 34 18.90 D St Helens (State Funded Schools only) 323 28.79 C St Helens (All Providers) 1,173 32.82 C+

28. St Helens post 16 settings continue to achieve, on average, positive outcomes with regard to Post 16 vocational qualifications. In 2018, the average grade achieved in St Helens for applied general and tech level qualifications is above that achieved regionally and nationally, with strong performances recorded by state funded schools.

15 Table 10: Applied general and tech level qualifications – 2017/2018

Applied general students4 Tech Level students5

Average Number of Number of Average Average point score students at students at Average point score point score per applied the end of 16- the end of 16- point score per tech 18 study with per applied general 18 study with per tech level entry an applied general entry an applied level entry expressed general exam entry expressed general exam entry entry as a grade as a grade St Helens 281 31.04 Dist- 70 32.56 Dist-

North West 4,910 28.55 Merit+ 1,455 28.28 Merit+

England 45,797 28.45 Merit+ 12,829 28.10 Merit+

4 Applied general qualifications: level 3 (advanced) qualifications that provide broad study of a vocational subject area e.g. a level 3 certificate/diploma in business or applied science 5 Tech level qualifications: level 3 qualifications for students wishing to specialise in a technical occupation or occupational group e.g. a level 3 diploma in construction or bricklaying. 16 Progress Measures 29. Progress measures tell us just what value an individual school is contributing towards the education of a student and are key measures of importance in the secondary school accountability framework.

Progress Measures at Key Stage 4

30. The main headline progress measure at Key Stage 4 is referred to as Progress 8 and this measure shows how much progress pupils at a school made between the end of key stage 2 and the end of key stage 4, compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2. The Progress 8 measure is based on results in up to 8 qualifications, which include English, maths, 3 English Baccalaureate qualifications including sciences, computer science, history, geography and languages, and 3 other additional approved qualifications.

31. When interpreting a schools Progress 8 score it is important to note the following:

 A score above zero means pupils made more progress, on average, than pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

 A score below zero means pupils made less progress, on average, than pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

 A negative progress score does not mean pupils made no progress, or the school has failed, rather it means pupils in the school made less progress than other pupils across England with similar results at the end of key stage 2.

32. For all mainstream pupils nationally, the average Progress 8 score will be zero. For example, if a school has a Progress 8 score of -0.25 this would mean that, on average, pupils in this school achieved a quarter of a grade less than other pupils nationally with similar starting points. The table below provides a detailed overview on the overall progress 8 score reported for St Helens and the progress scores achieved in each of the component areas that collectively form the overall progress score.

Table 11: Progress 8 scores and components

Progress Progress Overall Progress Progress Region/ 8 score in 8 score in Progress 8 8 score in 8 score in Local Authority Ebacc open score English Maths slots slots

St. Helens -0.39 -0.48 -0.38 -0.60 -0.15

North West -0.16 -0.17 -0.18 -0.22 -0.11

England (State Funded) -0.02 -0.04 -0.02 -0.03 -0.04

St Helens National Rank (1=highest, 151=lowest) 146 148 142 146 109

33. The overall progress 8 score reported for St Helens in 2018 (-0.39) represents a marginal improvement on the progress score achieved in the previous year (-0.44) but progress 17 continues to remain a significant issue in St Helens. It is the case that, on average, pupils educated in St Helens made less progress than other pupils nationally from similar prior attainment starting points. The overall progress 8 score reported for St Helens in 2018 is one of the lowest progress outcomes reported by an LA in England.

34. It is also the case that, on average, insufficient progress is being made by pupils educated in St Helens across a range of the individual core academic subject areas, for example, English, mathematics and the Ebacc subjects. The picture painted in the table below is a disappointing one, with the majority of schools in St Helens recording progress that is, on average, significantly below that achieved by other pupils nationally.

Table 12: Individual School Key Stage 4 Summary – 2017/2018 academic year – Year 11 Expected Progress Summary

Progress 8 Progress 8 Progress 8 Progress 8 Overall measure for measure for measure for measure School Name Progress 8 English mathematics Ebacc for open measure element element element element Cowley International College -0.30 -0.78 -0.42 -0.62 +0.41 De La Salle School -0.93 -0.72 -0.76 -1.18 -0.98 -0.33 -0.31 -0.73 -0.63 +0.14 Hope Academy -0.13 -0.13 -0.35 -0.22 +0.10 Rainford High Technology College -0.09 -0.14 +0.11 -0.28 -0.01 Rainhill High School +0.01 -0.04 +0.07 -0.11 +0.13 St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic -0.60 -0.67 -0.65 -0.97 -0.23 St Cuthbert's Catholic High School -0.66 -0.61 -0.55 -0.51 -0.91 St Helens College NA -1.77 -1.20 -2.02 -1.10 The Sutton Academy -0.25 -0.57 -0.27 -0.60 +0.34 St Helens -0.39 -0.48 -0.38 -0.60 -0.15

35. In St Helens, the lowest overall progress 8 score achieved by a school in 2018 was -0.93 at De la Salle School whilst the strongest progress score was +0.01 at Rainhill High School. Most secondary schools in St Helens achieved Progress 8 scores that were either below average or well below average with only Rainhill, Rainford and Hope Academy achieving progress 8 scores in 2018 that are judged to be broadly in line with national averages.

36. The floor standard for a school is the minimum standard for pupil achievement and/or progress that the Government expects schools to meet. In 2018, a school will be below the floor standard if it’s Progress 8 score is below -0.5, and the upper band of the 95% confidence interval is below zero. If a school’s performance falls below this floor standard, then the school may come under scrutiny through inspection. In 2018 a total of three secondary schools in St Helens, De la Salle School, St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High and St Cuthbert’s Catholic High, achieved progress 8 scores less than -0.5 indicating that students in those schools made progress that was, on average, well below the progress made by other pupils nationally. 18 Closing the Gaps

37. Closing the gaps (CtG) in attainment and achievement between disadvantaged pupils (those who have been in receipt of free school meals and\or children who are looked after) and others is a strategic aim in the School Effectiveness Strategy; it has also gained increased emphasis in successive revisions of Ofsted’s School Inspection Framework, including the 2015 Common Inspection Framework.

Key Stage 4

38. Locally and nationally, disadvantaged students continue to significantly underperform relative to other pupils. It is the case that 18% of disadvantaged students educated in St Helens achieved a grade 5 or above in GCSE English and Maths in 2018 compared to 48% of non-disadvantaged pupils. In terms of progress, pupils educated in St Helens make significantly less progress than other pupils nationally, and the low rate of progress reported for disadvantaged students in St Helens in 2018 continues to be a significant and persistent issue.

Table 13: Key Stage 4 Achievement Gaps profile – 2017/2018

St Helens England

Indicators Non Non Disadvantaged Disadvantaged Disadvantaged Gap Disadvantaged Gap Pupils Pupils Pupils Pupils

% pupils achieving a level 5+ (Strong Pass) in 18.4% 47.2% -28.8% 24.9% 50.3% -25.4% English & Maths

Average Attainment 8 35.5 48.4 -12.9 36.8 50.3 -13.5 Score

Average Progress 8 -0.73 -0.25 -0.48 -0.44 0.13 -0.57 Score

39. Disadvantaged young people in St Helens are less likely to achieve strong passes in GCSE English and maths compared to non-disadvantaged pupils in the borough and disadvantaged young people in other parts of the country. Again, the aggregate data hide variations in performance between schools (see table 14). For example, 28% of disadvantaged pupils at Rainford High achieved a strong pass in GCSE English and Maths whilst only 4% of disadvantaged students at Haydock High and 7% of disadvantaged pupils at Del Salle High School achieved a strong pass in GCSE English and GCSE Maths.

19 Table 14: Key Stage 4 Attainment School Attainment Profile

Disadvantaged Students Non Disadvantaged Students Total KS4 Indicators Pupils Pupils Pupils not % Grade % Grade (2018) eligible A8 P8 eligible for A8 P8 5+ in Eng 5+ in Eng for Pupil Score Score Pupil Score Score & Maths & Maths Premium Premium

Cowley 207 86 24% 42.7 -0.52 121 44% 49.6 -0.15

De la Salle 229 43 7% 31.2 -1.41 186 42% 42.8 -0.83

Haydock High 116 26 4% 30.2 -0.76 90 33% 46.5 -0.21

Hope Academy 193 49 22% 36.1 -0.30 144 37% 45.0 -0.07

Rainford 239 29 28% 42.2 -0.41 210 73% 57.3 -0.05

Rainhill 242 45 27% 40.8 -0.44 197 55% 53.2 0.12

St Augustine 113 43 16% 35.4 -0.91 70 36% 46.3 -0.41

St Cuthbert’s 121 63 16% 32.5 -0.97 58 50% 48.2 -0.33

Sutton Academy 201 85 24% 39.6 -0.42 116 41% 47.2 -0.12

40. Whilst not explicitly reported in this report it is important to note that of all reported pupil characteristics, pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN) have, in St Helens as also the case nationally, the largest attainment gap when compared to those pupils without any identified SEN.

20 Recommendations for the Way Forward

41. In order to improve outcomes in the secondary sector, and to accelerate change and improvement in the secondary phase, the LA recommends the continuation or initiation of the following actions to Cabinet:

 Continue with the Learning Partnership Board initiative into this academic year, enabling Cabinet Members and other Councillors to engage in challenge and debate with secondary school leaders and officers on key themes. Thus far, focus for such meetings have been on transition, supporting white working-class boys and have included presentations from leaders of outstanding schools out of borough

 Continue to focus relentlessly on underperforming secondary schools to ensure such schools improve rapidly, particularly through reviews of the quality of education, and advice & challenge;

 Hold secondary schools to account through achievement and improvement boards;

 Provide training for governors, to enable them to challenge senior leadership teams more effectively; and

 Work with other parties, such as the Archdiocese and Ofsted, to improve academic and pastoral outcomes.

 The Local Authority to commission, out of borough Secondary Teaching Schools, those judged by Ofsted to be outstanding, to work with and support secondary schools in St Helens. The commissioned Secondary Teaching Schools will supply outstanding teaching practitioners, National Leaders of Education (NLEs) and Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs), to work with and support secondary schools in St Helens. The commissioned NLEs and SLEs will initiate and co-ordinate middle manager and subject network meetings for departmental subject leads of Mathematics, English, Science, History and Geography from across the St Helens secondary school sector.

Conclusion

42. The Key Stage 4 outcomes reported for St Helens in 2018 are disappointing showing as they do that pupils educated in St Helens achieved outcomes, on average, below those achieved by other pupils nationally and made less academic progress at secondary school than their peers nationally particularly in the core academic subject areas. St Helens continues to achieve collective outcomes at Key Stage 4 below comparable national averages, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, meaning schools, governors and the LA have to redouble efforts to raise standards.

43. The LA remains committed to working with all schools across the borough, supporting schools to deliver improved outcomes whilst championing the needs of the young people of St Helens. To further support schools in the borough and add additional value to their improvement programmes the LA has commissioned out of borough secondary schools and teaching schools, judged by Ofsted to be outstanding, to work with secondary schools in St

21 Helens in order to share and embed best practice and ultimately improve outcomes for the young people of St Helens.

44. Key to underperformance across the secondary sector has been the under achievement of disadvantaged pupils. It is a national phenomenon, accentuated in St Helens and improvement in outcomes overall and for disadvantaged pupils is a key priority for the Local Authority.

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