Agenda item

The exam results, exclusion and SEN report is attached.

Officers spoke to the report, and in summary shared with the Panel the experiences young people had during the pandemic and national lockdown, which provided both challenging and positive recognition. Virtual School did very well to support children at home and to ensure every child had a personal advisor during the time.

Virtual School was ranked second nationally in the progress for Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4 (KS4).  The KS4 outcome was similar to last year, though results were still pending. There was detailed information within the report on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in KS4. Officers shared that this new cohort secured education, health and care plans for three students and as a result the Virtual School intervened and worked closely with the SEND service to ensure the right support was provided. Virtual School had also provided support to families, children and to schools in order to support young people.

The Panel Co-optee foster carer representative commented on the fixed term exclusions and noted that with the data provided had no comparisons to national exams and exclusions. Officers informed that the service did not often receive national comparisons from others. The information provided was only from Croydon internal data.

Panel Members shared concerns for the 8% of children that had achieved five GCESs including English and maths, which was seen a very low number, though advised that the data was good. Officers informed that the figures were low nationally as it was 7%, however, though Croydon’s children were a percentage above, it was recognised that this was a continued area of focus and improvement around KS4 achievements. Upon reviewing the cohort of children: a percentage were unaccompanied asylum seeing children who did not take the exams, some children was not part of the cohort that counted against them, and some children would not necessarily take GCSEs; officers acknowledged that the children needed to do better, this included PEPs, children’s attendance and the focus on KS4 to ensure better outcomes.

Supplementary, Panel Members enquired on the numbers of local children taking exams and not taking exams. Officers shared that the detail to these statistics were included within the Virtual School Annual Report, which was published at the previous meeting, however noted that other challenges in the statistics included a late arrival into care just before taking GCSEs or A Levels, which could impact on the results and the context behind the data to what was reviewed.

The Chair informed that there were aspirations from Panel Members with how as corporate parents they could support more young people in particular with care leavers into further education, and thus was useful to have data on whether the gap was widening or closing on young people who move on to college and further education.

Panel Members further commented on the excellent dashboard to social care issues, but queried in relation to educational issues, and officers informed that there was an education database that specifically observed looked after children, and acknowledged that the granular detail to such matters was also important to note.

Other Panel Members noted that there was a great number of looked after children unaccompanied asylum seeking children with no formal education. Officers informed that there were examples of strong advancement from students who achieved exceptional exam results to progress to Cambridge University and it was important to highlight and celebrate achievements which was often missed in comparison.  Virtual School had a responsibility to educate all children looked after to ensure basic skills were met before entering mainstream school.

Further comments from the Panel included that resources was important and also how the service encouraged and motivated to put in the right resources to help young people seek their aspirations.

The Chair acknowledged the desire and commitment as corporate parents to recognise that every child was different and that as the service would continue to aspire, support and deliver not only care but educational support in line with Virtual School.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the report.