Councillor Brooker submitted the following
question:
“Given that in 2012 373 Slough children
attended Burnham Upper in 2012, it is of great concern that in 2013
no one low achieving pupil in Burnham Park Academy got 5
GCSEs. In the latest OFSTED report the
school was judged to be in need of improvement in nearly all
aspects. It is of great concern that
this report states that pupils eligible for the Pupil Premium are
not making as much progress as they should. Is it possible to find out what is being done to
improve this sorry state of affairs?”
Julian King-Harris, Head of School Improvement
at Cambridge Education, responded to the submitted question, with
the Panel considering the following points:
- Burnham Park Academy
had 15 children in the low achieving category, a small number
compared with other schools such as Beechwood with 28 or Wexham with 48. In comparing the achievement rates across this
cohort with other schools, Burnham Park Academy, in percentage
terms, is in proportion with the general levels of
achievement.
- Schools are required
to publish how much they receive in Pupil Premiums and what this
funding is used for and the impact it has had. OFSTED had been focusing on this aspect of school
spending, which gave the council an opportunity to encourage
greater targeting of this resource where the impact would be more
focused on the students in question.
- Pupil Premium
students were not the same as low achievement students, although
some may fall into both categories. The
Pupil Premium related to children eligible for Free School
Meals. Across Slough 25% of Pupil
Premium students achieved five GCSEs A*-C.
- Whilst Slough Borough
Council did not have jurisdiction, it was able to approach the
Academy about its use of the Pupil Premium and the work being done
to improve attainment amongst its low achievement cohort, but
cannot compel the school to respond.
Resolved – to note the
response.