KEY STAGE 2
Background:
At the end of Key Stage 2 (KS2) pupils are assessed using teacher assessments and statutory externally marked tests in English (writing and reading) and
Mathematics. Science is tested in selected schools only, none being selected in
Poole for 2011.
Key headlines:
Early Test results (subject to change) from the Department of Education (DfE) show that at the national expected standard of Level 4 or above pupils in Poole have made a significant improvement in the standards attained against national indicators.
English at 85% is 4 percentage points higher than in 2010 and is also 4% points higher than the National 2011 Average.
Mathematics at 81% is 4 percentage points higher than in 2010 representing the highest score ever in Poole. It is also 1 point higher than the National
Figure.
The key indicator of pupils gaining both English and Maths benefited from the higher English score with 74% gaining both, a rise of 1 percentage point.
Boys have made significant improvements in English (7%) from last year, which is mainly responsible for the rise in standards and this has also closed the attainment gap between boys and girls.
Whilst some individual schools have made significant gains, (10- 22%) in one or both of the core subjects there are also some schools whose standards have declined.
Average points scores also show a small rise in English and Maths of 0.2 points in each, with both being above the National Average (0.5 percentage points).
2011 (draft only)
Level 4+
(KS2)
Poole
English
Boys Girls All Boys
Mathematics
Girls All
81 (74) 89 (87) 85 (81) 80(79) 82(81) 81(80)
(2010 figures in brackets)
For pupils attaining level 5 plus, headlines are as follows:
English, at 31%, is 3 percentage points lower than in 2010
Mathematics, at 37%, is 2 points higher than in 2010,
Girls’ achievement at L5 in English is13% higher than boys’, and is 3 percentage points above the national average and boys are 2 points above the national figures.
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The gap between girls and boys in Mathematics is 5 percentage points locally compared with 2 points nationally, achievement by girls in Poole being higher than the National.
Fluctuations are statistically more likely at L5 because the KS2 tests only offer a relatively small number of questions at Level 5; and the small numbers of pupils in Poole can also give a proportionally greater fluctuation effect on figures.
2011 (draft only)
Level 5+
(KS2)
Poole
English
Boys Girls
25 38
Mathematics
All Boys Girls All
31 40 35 37
Both English and Mathematics together:
The percentage of pupils gaining both level 4 in both English and mathematics has risen by 2%, following the 3% rise last year.
Whilst both English and mathematics individually were well above 80%, some pupils were unable to attend both subjects at this level.
This is an important indicator as it is reflected in the Key Stage 4 floor target of gaining 5 GCSE A*-C including English and mathematics.
English and
Maths together
Poole
Bo ys
Level 4+
Gir ls All
76 (73)
Bo ys
Level 5+
Gir ls All
22(23)
Progress from KS1 to KS2
Analysis of pupils’ progress between KS1 and KS2 is continuing at the time of preparation of this paper, with more data due to arrive shortly. The initial indications show that 82% of pupils made 2 levels of progress in English and 79% in mathematics. A future report will present and discuss this analysis when national comparators are available.
Seven year old pupils in Poole achieve generally higher than national figures and their results are comparable to pupils in similar authorities (statistical neighbours). At the end of Key Stage 2, there has been for some time a challenge for Poole in ensuring that all pupils make at least the two levels of progress that are expected.
This will be a key indicator in the school performance tables and for the new Ofsted
Framework.
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Chief Adviser’s view:
The performance of the Local Authority in English and mathematics is good with the increased attainment in both subjects. Boys, in particular, have made significant improvements in English from previous years.
The progress measure of two levels from KS1 to KS2 should be a focus for schools, when data is received.
Recommendations:
To continue to raise attainment in English, with particular focus on the vulnerable groups where the data is showing underachievement.
To increase the number of pupils achieving level 4 + in both English and mathematics.
To increase the number of pupils achieving above level 5.
To focus on pupils achieving two levels of progress from KS1 to KS2.
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